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HISTORY of AMBULANCE 
COMPANY No. 161 




up* 



A. E. F., 1917-1919 



1919 



WELSH-RICHARDS CO.. INC.. PRINTERS 
ABERDEEN. WASHINGTON 






to I 



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EDITOR'S NOTE 

This historical review of our Company in the World's 
War is the idea of our Commanding Officer, Captain John B. 
Kinne, whose persistence in advocatirig a written account resulted 
in a committee being appointed to outline a book. These men 
were directed and encouraged by him till the book could not fail, 
and the Editor wishes to express his appreciation and obligation 
to the committee who were so kind to give their time and sacrifice 
their leisure during the time of the preparation of the book. The 
committee was composed of John Schell, John Milman, John 
Faulds, Ernest Halliday and Robert Maltby. The editor also 
wishes to express his thanks to the many contributors who wrote 
interesting articles, among whom are John Kennelly, Ernest 
Hatch, William Morrison, Russet Mullin, James Ward, Fred 
Miller, Elwyn Waddle, Thomas Hannibal and Frank Kalb. The 
Editor would be very ungrateful if he failed to acknowledge the 
kindly criticisms of Wm. E. Whitlock, John B. Kinne and Adam 
Faris, and he also wishes to thank Adam Faris for his great help 
in the business management of the book. Others who have helped 
in some way may have been overlooked, but not intentionally. 
Oiving to the unsettled state of labor and the uncertainty of prices 
the publication of the book ivas greatly delayed, but this factor 
will be considered by those who have been so kind as to make the 
book possible. 

MILTON P. GRAHAM, M. D. 



CONTENTS 



DEDICATION 

GREETING 

OFFICERS 

A FIELD AMBULANCE COMPANY 

POEM. 

LORRAINE NEAR FRAPPELLE 

DEATHS — DISEASE: — KILLED IN ACTION — WOUNDED 

HISTORICAL VISITS 

SOUVENIRS 

INCIDENTS OF THE WAR 

POEM 

HISTORY OF AMBULANCE COMPANY, 161 

ROSTER, WITH ADDRESSES 



DEDICATION 



To the loving memory of the four brave soldiers of Ambulance 
Company 161 whose ivhole souled devotion and self sacrifice to 
a just and living principle of Freedom caused them to throw their 
lives in the balance to maintain the equilibrium of a world torn 
wth dissension and athirst with avarice for power and dominion 
of the universe, we respectfully dedicate this book. Civilization 
shall never forget those lads who sleep beneath the turf in France 
in order that mankind may be free and slavery of nations shall 
not exist. 



HONORED DEAD 

GEORGE KUHN OTTO KINTZI 

J. J. MOONEY JOSEPH GREEN 



GREETING 



The object of this little book is not to add to the already over- 
burdened field of literature, but rather to record, lest we forget 
them, the several experiences of those of us who met together 
and as a unit, did our part in the great struggle for right and 
justice. So it is with affection and tribute that we have devoted 
our best energies to the compiling of this record: Affection for 
our organization and tribute to those who so wisely and carefully 
guided us through the trying and perilous times naturally incident 
to the career of an active unit on the great battle front in France. 
So, as the years slip by, and time throws her rosy glow over our 
adventure, casting into shadows the hardships and privations 
and bringing into strong relief the pleasures of comradeship we 
have had, we hope that those who figure in this short record may 
find an ever increasing pleasure in turning to these pages and 
recalling incidents which were about to slip over the brink of 
for get fulness, and will remember with a warming heart, the old 
Company and their stay in the pleasant land of France. 

THE COMMITTEE. 




OFFICERS 



1 CAPT. JOHN B. KINNE, M. C. 

•1. ('APT. WM. E. WHITLOCK, M. C. 



3 CAPT. MILTON P. GRAHAM, M. C. 

4 2ND LT. ADAM FARIS, S. C. 



OFFICERS 



Captain John B. Kinne, M. C, first entered his military career as a pri- 
vate in Co., "B", 1st N. Dak. Vol. Infantry and served from May, 1898 to 
Sept. 1899 in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. He 
was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on May 6, 1899, for specially 
meritorious bravery in action at Tarbon Bridge, P. I. At this time he was a 
member of Young's Scouts under Major General Henry W. Lawton. He was a 
member of a party who held a burning bridge against great odds and repulsed 
the attack of the enemy. In 1914-15 he was a member of the 4th Naval Re- 
serve Corps at Aberdeen, Washington. On March 12, 1917, he was commis- 
sioned 1st Lt. Med. Corps in the Wash. Nat. Guard Reserve Corps; and was 
called into service at call of President on July 15, 1917, and assigned to duty 
Aug. 3, 1917, with the Washington Field Hospital then located at Camp Mur- 
ray, Washington. On Oct. 5, 1917, he was assigned to Ambulance Co. 164 at 
Camp Greene, N. C, and on April 25, 1918, was given command of Ambulance 
Co. 161. He was promoted to Captain Nov. 11, 1918. 

Capt. Kinne is a graduate of Fargo College, N. D., in class of 1903 and of 
Rush Medical College in Class of 1906. He served one year interneship under 
Lt. Col. N. Senn, M. C, in Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, and has had four 
years' general practice in Newark 111., and seven years' general and surgical 
contract practice in Aberdeen, Washington, besides being health officer for 
two years. 

Capt. Wm. E. Whitlock, M. C, is a graduate of Cadet Clemson College in 
Class of '06 and a graduate of S. C. Medical College in 1910. He practiced 
medicine and surgery in Fort White, Fla., from 1910 to 1917. He was com- 
missioned 1st. Lt. M. R. C, June 27, 1917, and called into active service Aug. 
24, 1917, at Med. Officers' Training Camp, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. He was 
assigned to 41st Div. on Oct. 24, 1917, and reported as Surgeon of Remount 
Station Camp Greene, Charlotte. He remained there till Nov. 11, when he 
joined Ambulance Co. 164 at Camp Mills and went overseas with that com- 
pany. On Feb. 20, 1918, he was assigned as instructor in First Corps Sani- 
tary Troops School and after giving the soldiers he was to go through the war 
with much useful information and needed training, he was assigned to Ambu- 
lance Co. 161, where he remained with the exception of a few weeks detached 
service till the war was over and till he was relieved from duty at his own 
request and left for the United States while the company was stationed at 
Montigny Le Resle. 

Captain Milton P. Graham was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in the Medi- 
cal Corps of the 2nd N. D. National Guard on August 4, 1917, and assigned to 
duty at once. He served with many organizations but always made Ambu- 
lance Co. 161 his headquarters. He left for overseas service with the Ambu- 
lance Co. 164 of the 41st Division in December 1917 and served during the 
war with the following named organizations : 2nd N. Dak. Inf. Med. Detach- 
ment, Surgeon Motor Truck Co. No. 47, 164th Inf. Med. Detachment, 164th 



Ambulance Co., 164th Field Hospital, 1st Corps Sanitary School, A. E. F., 
Field Hospital No. 3, Camp Infirmary No. 2, 1st Depot Division, Surgeon, 
Fourth Recruiting Battalion and Remount Station, District Surgeon, Fifth 
Dist., 1st Depot Division, 161 Ambulance Company, 13th Machine Gun Bat- 
talion, Camp Hospital No. 42, Evacuation Hospital No. 1, and 323 Field Sig- 
nal Battalion. 

He is a graduate of University of North Dakota in 1913 and Rush Medi- 
cal College in 1915 and practiced medicine and surgery in Carrington, North 
Dakota, before the war for one year. 

Second Lieutenant Adam Faris came from Beach, N. D., with the com- 
pany of National Guardsmen. His previous military experience made him a 
valuable man to the company in its early troublesome days. 

He served as a private in Co. L, 1st N. D. Inf. from June 24, 1912, to June 
23, 1915, and on Sept. 10, 1917 enlisted in Co. M. of 2nd N. Dak. Infantry. 
He was promoted to Sergeant Sept. 20, 1917, and has been receiving promo- 
tions rapidly ever since. He was made First Sergeant Co. M. Sept. 23, 1917. 
On Oct. 5, 1917, in order to stay with the company which had been turned into 
a medical department he was transferred as a private to Ambulance Co. 164 
at Camp Greene. On Nov. 8, 1917, he was promoted to Sergeant 1st CI. in 
Med. Dept. On April 1st, 1918, he was transferred to Training School for 
Sanitary Troops of 1st Army Corps and on May 1, 1918, he was awarded a cer- 
tificate of proficiency as Sergeant, 1st CI. Med. Dept. On May 2, 1918, he 
was transferred to Ambulance Co. 161 where he remained throughout the 
active period of the war. On Oct. 31, 1918, he was commissioned 2nd Lieuten- 
ant San. Corps and assigned to duty with his old company, remaining with 
chem till company was demobilized at Camp Dodge, Iowa. 



A FIELD AMBULANCE CO. 

The work of a Field Ambulance Company is to collect the sick and wounded, 
to afford them temporary care and treatment and to transport them to the 
next sanitary unit in the rear. While in camp the company operates an ambu- 
lance service between regimental infirmaries and the field or other hospitals. 
Also when troops are on the march, ambulances are distributed along the line 
of troops for the purpose of supplying transportation to those who become un- 
able to march. When in the field the ambulance companies work in two sec- 
tions. One establishes and operates a dressing station and collects the wound- 
ed, and the other carries out the evacuation of the wounded. 

The war strength of a field ambulance company consists of 122 enlisted 
men, including non-commissioned officers, and a commissioned staff of five 
officers. The company is divided into the following sections: Transportation, 
dressing station and litter bearers. The duties of these sections are outlined as 
follows : 



12 



TRANSPORTATION 

The transportation section of a motor field ambulance company consists 
of twelve motor ambulances and one repair truck. Two men are assigned to 
each car, one as driver and the other as orderly. Their duties are to drive the 
car and keep the ambulance in good running order, making all minor repairs 
possible themselves. The twelve ambulances are divided into platoons, gener- 
ally three platoons. Each platoon is in charge of a sergeant and in traveling 
from place to place these platoons travel at a prescribed distance apart. 

When the ambulances are working in the field, each platoon under its ser- 
geant is generally stationed at the regimental and first aid stations and their 
work is to transport the sick and wounded from these stations to the field hos- 
pitals. It is during these trips from these stations to the field hospitals that 
the ambulances run the risk of danger, for they are within the range of the 
enemy's artillery fire and aeroplane attacks; also, one is liable to meet enemy 
raiding parties for in most cases these aid stations are set up as near the front 
as they can be in order to handle as quickly as possible all cases to be dressed 
or redressed for transportation to the rear. It is the duty of the driver and 
orderly to know the condition of each case they are transporting, so that should 
the emergency arise, they will have some idea as to what to do to make the 
patient comfortable, then again in cases of severe fractures, the driving of an 
ambulance over rough roads is to be considered, for the benefit of the patient. 
In cases of compound fractures the possibilities of hemorrhage are great and 
this is one of the dangers to be avoided. 

In cases where the first aid stations are in such locations that the roads to 
and from them are visible to the enemy the evacuation of patients is carried on 
during the night. The night driving becomes dangerous owing to the fact that 
no lights are allowed and generally the traffic over these roads is pretty heavy 
with marching troops and ammunition and supply trucks, and the roads often 
extremely dark due to tall trees or heavy camouflage. 

FIRST AID STATIONS 

In selecting the location of a dressing station it is most important that 
every advantage be taken of any natural shelter. To a large extent the dis- 
tance of the stations from the firing line depends on the shelter which the ter- 
rain affords, and again the nearer the firing line the safer it will be from drop- 
ping projectiles. These dressing stations are operated by the men of the am- 
bulance company in charge of a non-commissioned officer. They are gener- 
ally little more than places for assembling the wounded for necessary treat- 
ment, which in most cases is limited to first aid and the readjustment of band- 
ages, occasionally however, it may be necessary to ligate an artery or perform 
an emergency operation, before the patients are evacuated to the hospitals. 
These first aid stations may remain in the same location for long periods and 
be equipped with all the necessities of a usual operating room or they may be 
merely the fly of a tent in some trees or as in most cases in the war they were 
located in stone houses or dugouts. 



13 



LITTER BEARERS 

Litter bearers are used to carry the sick, wounded and dead from where 
they fall in the field or are first taken sick to temporary shelter, dressing sta- 
tions, or hospitals. A litter squad may be made up of two or four men and 
four men with one non-commissioned officer were often used in the steep hills 
and mountainous passes where the distance of transportation by litter was 
often from one to three miles and all of the time transportation had to be car- 
ried on during the night when darkness threw out the only protection from 
shell fire and sniping. In many cases litter bearers were left to their own in- 
genuity as they were isolated from their stations and were required to crawl 
along for long distances through crooked trenches before they arrived at the 
nearest point to the wounded man and then leave the trench and trust to luck 
while they stole across No Man's Land and got the poor unfortunate soldier. 
This was very hard, tedious, and dangerous work as the enemy considered any 
able bodied man an enemy and especially so because the good work of the med- 
ical department was the cause of returning so many back to the firing line. 
Ordinary rules of warfare were not observed and a litter bearer was legiti- 
mate prey in the eyes of the Boche. 




14 



"COMRADES TRUE" 

With snow as white as that without. 

His stately brow was crowned. 
His palsied hands, he reached them out, 
And filled a glass, with thanks devout, 
Youth's strength in wine refound. 

His dreamy eyes turned towards the light 

The glowing embers cast. 
He braced himself with feeble might 
The weight of years took speedy flight, 

His breath came short and fast. 

"I've made my goal, I'm a success, 

My safe is filled with gold. 
I've held my own in push and press, 
In times of stringent business stress, 

As on the years have rolled." 

"I've made my way up to the top, 

1 guess my race is run, 
And now that I have come to stop, 
My worldly cares been forced to drop, 

What have I really done?" 

"Look ye around my great estate, 

What think ye I most prize, 
The baubles dross of silver plate, 
The brassy jewels of modern date? 

No value in them lies!" 

"Ah, yes, that rusty helmet there, 

That gun beside the hearth, 
Mean more to me than diamonds rare, 
Or pictures fine or statues fair, 

Or anything on earth !" 

"For they review the fading past, 

The treasure house supreme. 
The friends made 'neath the cannon's blast, 
The kind of pals that always last, 

How near to me they seem!" 

The old man ceased, his breath was cold, 

His straining hands were clasped, 
His memory in pageant bold 
The year in France before him rolled, 
A story from the past. 



15 



"What e'er I've been, what e'er I'll do, 

This life's best part of me, 
Was when I made old friends of new, 
With those real men the chosen few, 

Who sailed across the sea." 

He raised his glass with shaking hand, 

"A toast I'll drink to you, 
You were the men, come from the land 
Where fires of freedom first were fanned, 

To save mankind anew." 

"You were the vanguard seaward sent, 

To face the Hun accursed. 
Where shrapnel screeched 'twas there you went, 
In aid of those whose blood was spent, 

The Hundred-Sixty-First." 

"Here's to the Hundred-Sixty-One, 

Who played a soldier's part, 
The same in war and work and fun, 
Each brave and true, from what source come. 

Each one a manly heart." 

He pressed his hand upon his breast, 

His lips were cold and blue, 
And as his soul seeks final rest, 
Comes on the air from out the west, 

The echo of "Tattoo." 

— Clark Morrison. 



16 



LORRAINE 

(Near F rape lie) 

When the war broke out in August 1914, the eastern frontier of France 
was for a short time the scene of some active and hard fighting. However, at- 
tention was soon turned to the north where the German army had broken 
through Belgium and was fast approaching Paris; and for four years the 
eastern frontier of France — the Vosges Sector, as it was commonly called — 
saw little or no fighting. It was used as a rest sector by both the French and 
the Germans, and there seemed to be a ''gentlemen's agreement" between the 
two armies not to start any hard fighting in that sector. This peaceful state 
of affairs soon changed when the Americans came. They were put in the Vos- 
ges sector to train and to get experience in modern warfare ; and experience 
they intended to get. Every German soldier killed and every foot of ground 
gained brought the end of the war that much closer; and with that idea in 
mind, they went into the trenches. 

On Saturday morning, August 17th, 1918, the 6th Infantry of the 5th Di- 
vision attacked and took Frapelle, a village to the east of St. Die which had 
been held by the Germans since the start of the war. This was the first opera- 
tion of any importance in this sector and even Ludendorf mentioned in it his 
official communique. In spite of enemy counter-attacks and heavy artillery 
fire the Americans were successful in holding their new positions. 

At this time our company was billeted in Raon L'Etape to the north of St. 
Die. Tuesday evening, August 20th, we were called upon to send relief to the 
29th Ambulance Company stationed near Frapelle. Thirty five of us, includ- 
ing the sergeant in charge, were detailed to go. We proceeded to St. Die where 
we spent the night and the following morning. After lunch the next day 
(August 21st) twenty-seven of us were taken up to the front in a truck, eight 
men having been left behind for duty at the gas hospital in St. Die. Our desti- 
nation was a dressing station near Frapelle, located at the top of a 
heavily wooded hill just back of the trenches. 

After a short delay we were assigned to our dug-outs and while waiting 
for the troops occupying them to move out so that we could move in, we sat in 
the shade of nearby pine trees. Occasionally a few shells whistled by over- 
head on their way toward the German lines, and Fritz would reply in kind. 
Most of the latter burst on the opposite side of the hill and we felt no danger. 
Furthermore, most of us had been up to the front before and shell fire was not 
a new experience with us. We had been sitting around talking and laughing 
for perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes: several had strolled off to examine a 
nearby reserve trench ; two or three others had fallen asleep ; one was calmly 
perched on a box of hand grenades ; when suddenly, without warning, we 
heard a shrill whistle followed immediately by a deafening explosion in our 
very midst. The air was filled for an instant with flying pebbles and dirt. 
With one accord and without the formality of, waiting for the next fellow, 
everyone rushed for the dugouts. All speed records for the distance were then 
and there broken. Before all could crowd through the narrow entrances, there 
came another terrific explosion and those still remaining outside lost no time 

17 



in pushing their way into the dugouts. Once inside we put on our gas-masks 
and helmets ; we also lowered the gas curtains in the entrances to the dugouts, 
for we had seen a white vapor that looked very much like gas. The thought 
that we were surrounded by a poisonous gas was not very pleasant. However, 
our fear of gas was groundless, for we afterwards discovered that the white 
vapor we had seen was simply smoke from the high explosive shells, and not 
gas at all. 

The shells continued to arrive, and each one exploded with a terrific 
crash and roar, the dugout shook and quivered. Even the fact that we were 
protected by a thick layer of logs and earth was not very reassuring. At the 
end of five minutes — it seemed much longer — the shelling ceased and cautious- 
ly, one by one, we went outside to see what damage had been done. Until then 
we had thought that everyone had succeeded in reaching the dugouts in safety. 
So our surprise and horror on finding three of our comrades lying out there 
dead and another seriously wounded can hardly be imagined. Poor fellows, not 
more than five minutes before they had been laughing and talking with the 
rest of us, entirely unconscious of danger. And now they were dead. That 
such a tragedy could happen in so short a time was hard to believe. It sobered 
us all; we realized that it was due to the hand of Providence that more of us 
had not received the same fate. We immediately dressed the one who was 
wounded and set him to St. Die in an ambulance. He died before arriving at 
the hospital. Another one of the boys who had been slightly wounded in the ear 
was also sent back in the ambulance. That left twenty-two of us still at the post 
on duty. 

The next hour was spent in cleaning up around the dugouts and putting- 
things in order. We carried the bodies of our three comrades over to the little 
cemetery near the dressing station. They had evidently been killed instantly 
by the first shell. Several of the packs were literally shot to pieces. One of the 
boys had been sitting on his helmet when the explosion came; it was knocked 
from under him, and when he next found it it was badly dented. However, he 
had not been scratched. Another had his helmet pierced by a small piece of 
shell fragment which knocked it off his head. He was not hurt himself. All 
the shells had exploded within fifty feet of the dugouts. One large pine had 
been squarely hit and cut off about four feet above the ground. This tree luck- 
ily stood directly in front of one of the dugouts and prevented the shell from 
exploding in the entrance, which might have had serious consequences for those 
within. Another pine had been hit about twenty feet above the base ; the top 
part dropped straight to the ground planting itself beside its own trunk and 
giving the appearance of two trees growing side by side. At four thirty we 
went down to one of the nearby kitchens for supper. It was a mere formality ; 
no one enjoyed that meal and most of it was thrown, untouched, into a nearby 
G. I. can. 

That evening Lieutenant Kinne arrived in one of the ambulances to take 
the bodies back to St. Die for burial. It was a beautiful night, clear and bright, 
with a full moon slowly rising above th° hills to the east. Excepting for some 
artillerv tire and occasionallv the bursting of shells nearby, the night was still 
and quiet. The little procession, which was to escort the bodies to the ambul- 
ance, formed at the cemetery. A large American flag was draped over the 
caskets, and the procession moved forward. Perhaps it was a mere coinci- 

18 



dence, perhaps not, but immediately all firing ceased and not another shell 
burst until after the little ceremony held by the chaplain had ended. It was 
a solemn but impressive scene, as we stood there in the moonlight with bared 
heads listening to the words of the chaplain. It was a sad occasion and will 
not soon be forgotten by those who witnessed it. After the ceremony we re- 
turned to our dugouts and tried to get some sleep, but with little success. 

Shortly before twelve o'clock that same evenine an order came for a detail 
of thirteen men, including a sargeant, to reDort to the dressing station. We re- 
ported as instructed and received orders to go out into No Man's Land after 
two bodies that had lain ^We since the first attack on Saturday morning — 
five days before. Ours was the fifth party to go after them ; four others had 
attempted and failed. A guide from one of the infantry companies was ap- 
pointed to go with us; and at midnight, with the full moon shining directly over- 
head, we left the dressing station — fourteen in all, including the guide. 

Proceeding in single file, Indian fashion, we followed a path through the 
woods over the hill toward the trenches. Once we stopped ; shells were burst- 
ing just ahead of us; we waited until the firing ceased and then went on. Ar- 
riving at the bottom of the hill we crossed the little ravine and entered the 
communicating trench leading to the front. This was a deep trench and in 
fairly good condition. In some places it was covered with boards or logs and 
this gave us an additional feeling of security. No sooner had we reached the 
front line trench than Fritz began placing high explosive and shrapnel shells 
uncomfortably close by, and for the time being we took refuge in a nearbv dug- 
out. Again we started out, soon leaving the front line trench and entering No 
Man's Land. We followed an old trench which had been so badly shelled that 
it was then little better than a ditch. Our progress from then on was more slow. 
In order not to expose ourselves to snipers it was necessary to bend as low as 
possible when walking — just like we used to do down at Thesee when we prac- 
ticed "low trench" exercises. The guide proceeded slowly and cautiously ahead, 
with his automatic pistol cocked and ready for action. The rest of us were not 
armed, and it was just as well that we didn't run into an enemy scouting pa- 
trol ; the consequences would perhaps not have been pleasant. Notwithstand- 
ing all our precautions to keep from being seen, enemy lookouts must have seen 
us and followed our progress, for during the next hour and a half we were 
shelled several times. 

It offers one a splendid chance to reflect on his past life while he is 
crouched down in the bottom of a trench listening to shells scream through the 
air toward him and then explode with a deafening crash only a few feet away. 
Unless one has had an experience of th? kind, it is rather hard to imagine just 
how it feels. It is, to say the least, rather thrilling. No sooner would one ex- 
plode than another would come whistling on its way and it was always a matter 
for speculation just where it might land. Pleasant thoughts ! 

However, there were no casualties and at last, after an exciting half hour 
in No Man's Land, we reached our destination in front of the German barbed 
wire. In the meantime four of the boys, including the sergeant, had become 
separated from us and so there were only ten left, including the guide. We 
could see the enemy's trenches on the side of the hill just opposite us. The 
bodies lay about forty feet down the hillside from where we were, and directly 
toward the German positions. Getting those bodies back to our protecting 

19 



ditch was a rather ticklish job. For, in order to accomplish the task, it was 
necessary to crawl down to them in plain view of the enemy, then drag them 
back up to the ditch again. A machine gun or shrapnel shell properly placed 
would have finished us all, so in order to lessen the danger, we divided into two 
sections, and worked in shifts. It was a short job, but we breathed a sigh of 
relief when we had finished. The bodies had been laying there for five days 
in the hot sun, and, needless to say, they were in a bad state of decomposition. 
It was a gruesome sight and the smell was nauseating, so Fritz was probably 
glad enough to have them out of sight. At any rate, we were not bothered until 
after we had the bodies back in the ditch and placed on litters. Then immed- 
iately a batterv of 77's opened up on us and for five minutes we had to lay low 
and hope for the best. Fifty-five shells were fired that time. 

The progress during the next two hours was slow and difficult. Car- 
rying loaded litters through crooked narrow trenches is not as easy as it 
sounds. In the first place the trenches are only a few inches wider than the 
litters and in our case were frequently filled with boulders and debris. In the 
second place, the trenches do not run in a straight line, but make right angle 
turns every few yards. This twisting is for the purpose of increasing the pro- 
tection against shrapnel shells. To take a seven-foot litter around these sharp 
turns it is very difficult. The inner side of the litter must be lowered and 
the outerside raised so as to decrease the apparent width ; and in making the 
turn the litter bearers, unless they wear gloves, are almost sure to have the 
skin scraped off of their hands by rubbing against the sides of the trench. 
Unfortunately, we had no gloves. And lastly, a loaded litter weighs about 
two hundreds pounds, and this dead weight dragging on the arms soon wears 
a man out. The nine men who helped to carry the litters that night all agreed 
that it was tne hardest and most exhausting work they ever did. Add to that 
the fact tha f we were continually under an intense nervous strain and you 
have a fair idea of what we underwent during the next two hours. 

Foot by foot, yard by yard, we proceeded taking turns at carrying the lit- 
ters. We had not carried the bodies more than a hundred yards when one of 
the stretcher bearers noticed that something was dragging from one of the lit- 
ters and that it frequently caught on obstacles underneath. An examination 
was made and it was found to be a sack of hand grenades ! Needless to say, it 
was soon cut off and disposed of. Such things are not toys to be trifled with. 
Frequently we stopped to get our breath and have a short rest. It was during 
these rests that we were bothered by the smell from the bodies ; it was nauseat- 
ing. We went on. Our hands became scratched and torn. Several times 
during our progress, the enemy added to our troubles by sending a few shrapnel 
shells in our direction. We became so proficient in protecting ourselves from 
shell fire that each of us could almost double up in a knot small enough to be 
entirely covered by our helmets. At least, that was our aim, but the helmets 
were entirely too small for our needs. In some places the trench was filled 
with debris ; and in order to get past, it was necessary to climb out of the 
trench and go around. We kept on and on, becoming weaker the farther we 
went. A doubt was beginning to creep into our minds as to whether or not 
the guide was following the right course. He had attempted to go back by a 
different trench than the one we had gone out by, thinking thereby to save 
time. It was an old unused trench practically destroyed in many places by 

20 



artillery fire, and was not as good as the one we had used on the way out. Cer- 
tainly it did not seem as short. Daybreak was approaching and it was neces- 
sary that we be back before it became light enough for the enemy's snipers to 
spot us. We kept on perspiring, breathless, exhausted. To add to our troubles 
our canteens were dry and our mouths were parched with thirst. Our doubt 
in our guide increased, but we said nothing. Finally at a quarter to four, just 
three-quarters of an hour before daybreak, the guide stopped. He asked us to 
wait while he went ahead to explore the way. In a few minutes he returned. 

"Fellows," he said, "I guess we are lost. I must have taken the wrong 
trench." This was truly alarming news. After discussing our position for 
several minutes, we came to the conclusion that in order to make better speed 
we would have to leave the bodies behind and retrace our steps as best we could. 
Daylight was approaching and we were lost, whether in our own territory or 
somewhere out in No Man's Land, we could not be sure. Se we turned back. 
When we reached the front line trench again, we took the old communicating 
trench that we had used on the way out, and in due time reached the ravine at 
the bottom of the hill. On the way back we found the four boys who had been 
detached from the party on the way out. It seems that they had been in the 
rear of the column and had taken refuge in a dugout while some shells were 
exploding nearby. When they came out, the rest of us had gone on, and, al- 
though they tried their best to find us, they were unsuccessful. 

When we arrived at the dressing station at daybreak and reported to the 
officer in charge, we described as well as we could where we had left the bod- 
ies. To our surprise, he told us that if we had only kept on a few hundred 
feet farther we would have come out at the edge of the woods ! But at his sug- 
gestion we returned to our dugouts to get some well earned rest, and we had no 
trouble in sleeping the sleep of the just. 

That afternoon (Thursday, August 22nd) eight of us were picked to go 
and bring in the bodies the rest of the way. Again we went over the hill and 
entered the communicating trench. This time the guide attempted to take. a 
short cut and while we were crawling along on our hands and knees through a 
shallow trench we stirred up some old mustard gas. The guide, who had been 
in the lead, was slightly gassed, and, as the rest of us felt a burning in the 
nose and throat, we turned back. We carried the guide to the dugout at the 
edge of the woods where he was given proper attention, and then proceeded 
back to the dressing station to report. Later in the afternoon another detail, 
this time of only four men, in charge of an infantry officer, who knew where the 
bodies lay and how to get there, went out and succeeded in bringing them in the 
rest of the way. They had no trouble on the way, but when they started back 
they attracted the enemy's attention and brought several shells whistling to- 
wards them. Otherwise they had no trouble, for it was almost dark, and in the 
dusk they were evidently unnoticed. 

We slept without being disturbed that night. The next morning we left 
our post and returned to the company at Raon L'Etape. Several weeks later 
we read the announcement in the paper that Sergeants Wallace Green and 
Cornelius Fredericks had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross post- 
humously. They had been killed while cutting the enemy's wire, and from the 
citations we recognized them as being the ones we had carried in from No 
Man's Land. 

21 



That ends the story of our experiences near Frapelle. Four of our com- 
rades now lie in the graveyard at St. Die and it is that fact alone that lessens 
out satisfaction as we look back on the experiences we went through during 
those forty-eight hours — glad that we had succeeded where others had failed, 
and glad of a chance to do our small part on one of the battlefronts of the 
Great War. 




\ A A A XX A A A A A A A A A A A A k i k j^ UhUM iiKKU TP 



22 



OFFICIAL REPORT 



M * * 



Disease, Wounded, Deaths and Killed In Action 

HEADQUARTERS AMBULANCE COMPANY NUMBER 161 

AMERICAN E. F., FRANCE. FIRST CORPS SANITARY TRAIN 

23 March, 1919. 
FROM: Commanding Officer, Ambulance Co. No. 161, 1st Corps San Tr. 

TO: Commanding General, 1st Army Corps, American E. F., France. 

SUBJECT: Detailed information and verbatim reports about killed, died and missing. 
1. In compliance with Memorandum No. 77, Headquarters 1st Army Corps, 17 March 1919, the 

following information regarding killed, died and missing from Ambulance Company No. 161 is 
hereby submitted. No information regarding any other soldiers is available: 

(a) Killed in action: 

George H. Kuhn, PFC (4440). Nearest relative, Henry Kuhn, Beach, N. D. 

John J. L. Mooney, Pvt. (4374). Nearest relative, Joseph A. Mooney, 2119 So. 10th St., 

St. Joseph, Missouri. 
Joseph I. Green, Pvt. (2314142). Nearest relative, Ira Green Waxahachie, Texas. 
Otto Kintzi, Pvt. (4444). Nearest relative, Henry Kintzi, Route A, Box 301, Reedly. 
California. 

(b) On August 22, 1918 a detail of twenty-five men from Ambulance Company No. 161, on 
service with 5th Division, was sent to a Dressing Station, Lorraine, in the Vosges sector out from 
St. Die, and near Frapelle, being about seven kilometers northeast of St. Marguerite, Vosges, re- 
lieving litter bearers from Ambulance Company No. 29. The detail arrived at the dressing station 
about 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, and the sergeant in charge reported to the Major in com- 
mand of the station. The detail was sent to an indicated dug out which was situated in the side 
of a hill near a large grove of trees. The boys put their packs down and sat in the sun, outside 
the dug out. While sitting around about 4:00 p. m., a shell dropped near where the boys were. 
They ran to the dug out. There were about nine shells dropped near the dugout. As soon as the 
shelling was over, the roll was called, finding four men missing as follows: George H. Kuhn, John 
J. L. Mooney, Joseph I. Green and Otto Kintzi. Investigation was made and George Kuhn was 
found dead sitting against a large tree with a hole in his head where a piece of shell had hit him. 
Green was lying about fifty feet down the hill anl was blown almost in two parts — apparently a 
direct hit. Mooney was lying right in front of the dugout, dead. There were no shell marks on him. 
It was presumed the concussion of shells killed him. Kintzi, when found, was lying a short distance 
from Green and was still alive and groaning. He had a wound in the abdomen about six inches long 
and also a wound in the left shoulder. He was carried to the dugout and his wounds dressed with 
first aid appliances. Kintzi was then carried to the dressing station and sent immediately to the hos- 
pital at St. Die (Vosges). He died enroute to the hospital. The bodies of the three boys were car- 
ried to the dressing station and there the Chaplain took charge and put them in coffins. That even- 
ing the commanding officer, Captain John B. Kinne came out with an ambulance and took the 
bodies to St. Die for burial, where they, together with the body of Pvt. Kintzi, were buried the next 
day with military honors. The witnesses are, 

Sgt. John K. Kennelly (4296). 
PFC. John Flanagan (4349). 
Pvt. Russell B. Mullin (4375). 
PFC. Henry R. Handtmann (4352). 
All of this organization. 

(c) Died in hospital, Dec. 30, 1917. 

Corporal Fred M. Grube (no number). Nearest relative, Mrs. Fred M. Grube, Dawson, 
North Dakota. 
The above named deceased soldier, evacuated from sick bay on the ship "Antigone" to the 
Base Hospital No. 1, at St. Nazaire. No member of this organization was with the deceased when 
he died. Was seen by the following members of this command on the ship before evacuation: 
Sgt. John K. Kennelly (4296). 
PFC. Robert C. Maltby (4321). 
Pvt. Frederick A. Miller (4371). 
Pvt. Elenor W. Murdock (4372). 
Signed: Milton P. Graham. 

Captain, Medical Corps Command- 
ing, for and in the absence of Capt. 
J. B. Kinne, M. C. 
In this above named action Corporal Wm. Morrison was slightly wounded by a piece of 
shrapnel passing through his ear. Harry Salzman died of pneumonia in La Courtine, France 
after being transferred from the company. 

23 



HISTORICAL PLACES SEEN AND VISITED 
BY OUR COMPANY 

To neglect the monumental evidences of history, with their local tradi- 
tions, such as were our privileges, in the paun-like movements of our com- 
pany, to see, would be an oversight, so here following we try to include those 
most prominent and of the greatest common interest to all. 

Romsey, England — It was on one of our morning marches during the Yule- 
tide week in merry England, as we came to "company front," that our atten- 
tion was turned from the busy and quaint looking shops, red brick buildings 
and garbled houses, to the cold abruptness of the gray stone wall of Romsey 
Abby. 

The atmosphere of greater age than we had before known had been im- 
pressed on us during the march and the ancient cemetery with mouldering 
graves and the ivy hung walls of the old abby deepened that impression. Here 
before us was a building that was built in 919. It had been Catholic property 
until the religious wars shook England, and it was then seized by Henry 
VIII, who later sold it for a hundred pounds, Sterling ($486.65). It has since 
been used for worship by the Episcopalians, or the Church of England. Inter- 
iorly the simple but massive architecture lends solemnity and grandeur to the 
structure. 

In a room adjoining the main body of the abby and where the parish rec- 
ords are kept, we saw the signature of Kaiser Wilhelm, who had visited this 
place in nineteen hundred and seven. Here, too, we were told as in fitting 
prologue to our work as ambulance men, that the home of Florence Nighten- 
gale was about two miles distant from this place. 

La Courtine — A crisp, clear morning, with snow-clad hills and sparkling 
stars, was the welcome to this, our picturesque, four weeks home in central 
France. A week's familiarity with the French artillery barracks showed us 
signs of broken windows and battered doors. The melting snows of our last 
week's stay revealed a hillside of hastily dug trenches, furrowed sod and spent 
bullets, the result of machine gun fire. We were not at the front nor were these 
practice trenches. When Russia gave up, in the summer of 1917, after an un- 
successful struggle, a revolt of her troops against those of the French took 
place, resulting in almost annilihilation of the revolters and a few casualties 
among the French. 

St. Aignan — An all night's ride in box cars presented to us a brighter 
prospect than we had left. The streets were narrow, many mere alleys, need- 
ing sorely the cleaning command of the American Sanitary Officer. It was a 
good-sized town and we welcomed it with inquisitiveness and as a place to spend 
our French money and further learn the habits and customs of these people. 

Each of us, at various times, found our way through the intricate and 
crooked byways to the prominent place of the own, which is on the highest 
spot of a steep hill, overlooking the Cher river and commanding a beautiful and 
vast view to the north and east. 

24 



The chateau of the Rochambeau's, who, with Lafayette, helped our Col- 
onies to "Right and Justice," is partly habitable and partly a crumbling ruin. 

The western battlements, overlooking a grassy meadow, encircled by for- 
ests and parted by a drive, are fallen into decay. Ivy softly covers many of 
the scars of time. From a broken crevice grows a young tree and the disinte- 
grating rock on the parapet furnishes nourishment for a number of shrubs. 
Across the course where many a stately person has passed is the still intact 
hall and living apartments of the present keepers. All about on the court are 
various images and scroll decorations, cut in stone. At the northern edge of 
the court, guarded by a hand rail of iron, is a massive wall of solid masonry, 
which drops precipitely for some fifty feet to a steep green slope, which ends 
shortly in the moss speckled tile roofs, gabled attic windows and smoking chim- 
neys of the town. This scene is abruptly cut off by the half swollen Cher, leav- 
ing the eye to wander across rolling green fields to the distant hills, yellow in 
the sunlight of the February afternoon. 

Later we learned that these distant hills, in the vicinity of Noyers, con- 
tained a labyrinth of caves, dug in the limestone by the ancient Gauls, follow- 
ing their subjection by the Romans in 59-61 B. C. In these caves they stored 
many arms, in anticipation of a rebellion. This plan was discovered and the 
rebellion broken. Here also, built on a hillside and in strange contrast to the 
scenes of central France, was a Dutch windmill designed and constructed in 
1850, by a man who could neither read nor write. The caves below this build- 
ing were used as wine cellars, in which are large casks, full of the years' 
vintage. 

Selles-sur-Cher — Sixteen kilometers eastward along the Cher is another 
chateau, although not owned by so prominent personages, is nevertheless of as 
great interest as the one just mentioned, for it represents the construction of 
three periods, from 900, through the middle ages, to the most modern part, in 
which is an iron tablet inlaid in the stone of a fireplace, with the date 1734. 

Unlike the other chateau, this one is built on low, flat ground, using the 
river as a natural defense on the north. On the west and south, at a radius of 
a quarter of a mile from the moat, is a long stone wall, now partly fallen away, 
but once some six feet high and formidable enough to offer strong resistance 
against an invader using the old methods of warfare. 

The village is built up on the eastern side and ends abruptly in a wall 
formed of the exterior of closely-built buildings, on a slight elevation overlook- 
ing marshy ground. 

In case of an attack the herds were driven into the village within the shel- 
ter of this wall and if still farther pressed, the peasants could cross the once 
stable drawbridge into the great court of the chateau. 

The moat encircles the chateau and ends, like the letter U, at the river 
where the water for filling it was obtained. 

Within the confines of the moat were the buildings of special interest. 
i hey seem to lack the finish of the chateau at St. Aignan, but roughly show the 
crudities of greater age and less developed taste for fineness. Some distance 
from the village entrance to the chateau and beyond the latter addition, in a 
place little frequented now except by wanderers, is the old crumbling tower of 

25 



the year 912. Ivy covers the walls and creeps wonderingly inside, where once 
it was impossible for any form of life to live, for here were evidences of an old 
furnace, the burnt and reddened earth, arched brick, and pieces of slag, bore 
interesting testimony. Here the iron implements were forged and the tar and 
lead were melted, carried to the wall above and thrown on the enemy. There 
seemed to have once been a thick floor between this furnace room and a room 
above, in the same tower. Without there was a slight ascent and a path to an 
iron door, with a small barred window. 

Upon our opening the door the rusty hinges creaked, a large bolt was re- 
vealed and we looked down upon the furnace room below. 

Extending in right angles in two directions from the tower were the re- 
mains of two parapets and thick walls, which have since been utilized as sup- 
ports for huge, roughly hewn timbers, serving as the rafters of a barn, in 
present use. 

Some of the men were quartered in the four-storied tower built in the 
twelfth century. Roughly hewn beams and worn stone staircases and a direct 
drop from the windows on one side, into the moat, were the chief characteris- 
tics of this tower. In the rebuilt part, originally 12th century, but repaired in 
1724, we had a four-ward hospital, which, as the warm spring days came on, 
was abandoned, due to the lack of patients and the unsanitary condition of the 
moat on to which the windows opened. 

At one time during our two months sojourn here, we were told of a pas- 
sage leading away from the chateau, which passed underneath the ground, 
passing a dungeon, and opening some distance from the moat. The passage 
was filled with water and we were unable to explore it. 

The church in the center of the village is a prominent landmark, the spire 
and cross of which can be seen for a long distance. It is a fact that Jean d'Arc 
spent one night at the village hotel, where her room and bed may be seen, and, 
tradition relates, that the next morning as she was about to mount and con- 
tinue her mobilization tour, her horse became refractory. She led him to the 
place where the shadow of the cross fell upon the ground, the horse became 
calm, she mounted and continued her journey. 

One mile out of Selles was a spring of unusually pure water. Here we 
obtained all water for consumption. The tradition of the village has it, that on 
a hot summer day, a passing traveler was given a drink by a maiden working 
in the field. The traveler was a saint traveling among men. He blessed the 
maiden and the spring, the latter of which is said to have health giving prop- 
erties, and we used it with great success in our hospital, many of the soldier- 
boys getting well. 

Montrichard — The name almost tells us the history of the place, Mount 
Richard. Richard, the Lion Hearted, one of the heroes of Scott's "Ivanhoe," 
and his imprisonment "somewhere in France," long ago, after the third Crus- 
ade (1189-1192), when so many, filled with enthusiasm, enlisted to free the 
Holy Land. The spirit of self-sacrifice for a good cause resulted in Richard 
almost losing his throne. The place of his imprisonment has by now been pretty 
much affected by the storms of time, but there is still sufficient left to make a 
very interesting monument to his memory. 

26 



This old castle surmounts the summit of a hill north of the village and 
the Cher river. The remains of the tower and four walls stand there silently 
and unspeakingly locking within themselves stories of absorbing interest ol 
their once active life. Richard's dungeon was the lower room of the turret, 
on the edge of the village. He was placed in this confinement while he was re- 
turning from the Holy Land, through F ranee. His brother John, in his ab- 
sence had usurped the throne of England, entered into intrigue with the 
French lords, and Richard was captured. Rumor reached England of this 
condition and the companion and servant, a musician of Richard's, went from 
castle to castle, singing Richard's familiar songs, until one day a response came 
from within a room in this tower; thus Richard was freed and regained his 
throne. 

Thesee — Aside from the Sanitary School, occupying the Chateau Vau St. 
Georges, at this place, not far from the village, were the partially repaired 
ruins of an old Roman fort. The French have found it necessary to make 
some repairs to preserve these ancient ruins of 300 A. D. Only the four walls 
remain standing forming a grassy rectangle of 50 by 100 yards. The walls 
are heavily covered with ivy, growing from the crevices of the durable masonry 
that has withstood the seasons' thawing and freezing through long centuries. 
One root of ivy, perhaps the largest, was almost a foot in diameter and fed 
the leaves on a great portion of one of the twenty-foot hills. 

Vierzon — In this city we had little opportunity to see anything of really 
historical importance, but we do not like to pass it without a word, for it 
seemed to represent one of the oldest of the central cities that we were priv- 
iliged to march in, and for this it leaves an impression. 

Orleans — Here, as we sped by, the famous maiden soldier and martyr of 
France was brought to our minds. Th2 battle field of 1429, where Joan d'Arc 
defeated the English, are now quiet, green pastures bordering the Loire river. 
Following this great battle in the fourth period of the Hundred Years' War, 
she conducted Charles VII to Reims, where he was made King of France. 

After having been wounded before Paris, Jean went to defend Compiegne, 
where she was taken for treason and sold to the English. At Rouen, a large 
city in western France, which our company passed through in early January, 
she was given an unjust trial, convicted and burned at the stake. 

Our stop in Orleans was brief, but we obtained a glimpse of the beautiful 
cathedral there, whose white walls were conspicuous above the other buildings 
of the city. 

Troyes — Garoyles are heads and faces cut in stone, requiring hours of 
time. The faces for the most part are extremely hideous or bear traces of 
one undergoing extreme pain. In Troyes there is a many spired church, a work 
of intricate and elaborate architecture on which hundreds of these faces, in var- 
ious sizes, decorate the exterior, as though to frighten away the evil spirits 
from the Holy place, or else to give a warning to those who are bad, of the pain- 
ful ordeal in store for them. 

Bar-sur-Aube — The heights of St. Germain overlook a vast amount of ter- 
ritory including this village, and for that reason the Romans selected the 
summit of this mountain for a stronghold, and Caeser established one of the 
strongest of his chain of forts here. On mounting the hill the chief charm is 

27 



the widening view, for there is nothing left but hedge covered mounds and 
low broken walls. One thing, however, that remained in semi-preservation, was 
a low, stone lined depression, resembling a bathing tank and still used by the 
French peasants as a place for watering their cattle. 

Bruyeres — The traffic of war has been severe on the frontier roads of 
France, and had it not been for their deep stone foundations and solid con- 
struction they would have been inadequate to the demands set upon them. This 
example was set by the Romans and since then has been religiously followed by 
the French. In the vicinity of Bruyers there still remains in use, and with but 
little repair, a broad strip of Caeser's ancient highway, over which still, count- 
less wagons of supplies and marching men pass, recently to the pursuits of 
battle, but now to the pursuits of peace. 

Fraize — Early June found us entering into that well-known part of France 
called the Vosges mountains. The charm and beauty of these hills was in 
strange contrast to the distant cannonading and occasional air battles that 
greeted our arrival at this front. In the vicinity of Fraize were a number of 
places well worth recording; they are, Gerardmer, Literally Gerard's sea, a 
beautiful lake in the high Vosges, on whose shore was situated a village of the 
same name, and "avant la guerre" was an outing place for the whole region. 
Neighboringly, the lake of Longmer and several smaller ones add attractive- 
ness to the landscape, reflecting in deep shadows the towering hills. Along 
the automobile route from Fraize to Gerardmer were many steep mountain 
slopes, covered with forests of pine, between which were numberless vistas, 
revealing the distant valleys in which flows the ribbon-like river. Meadows of 
feeding cattle and fields of hay in which the women were gathering the winter 
supply, fill in the picture. Near by the habitations of these toilers were pre- 
sented in the clustered group of buildings or villages snuggling close under the 
southern exposure of some pine clad hill on the other side of the quiet flowing 
stream. The prominent features of each village are it's centralized church 
spire and principal street, which is in common with the national highway and 
on which are located the few stores and little dark wine shops. From this 
thoroughfare branch the few narrow and debris strewn streets. Many of these 
once happy and quiet villages are represented in heaps of shell wrecked stone, 
caused by the hand of the spoiler in his first horde-like advance over these 
pastoral scenes. 

From this same road, several kilometers out of Gerardmer, a branch road 
leads to the divide between the waters which flow directly into the Rhine and 
those draining into the Meurthe. The latter joins the Moselle at Nancy pass- 
ing by Metz and into Treves, finding the Rhine at Coblenz. Along this branch 
somewhat farther was a section of road exposed to shell-fire and from the 
little dressing station of LaCollet could be seen distantly the haze of the Rhine 
valley and at nearer range, Munster, Mulhouse and Colmar. 

Here near at hand was the Hotel Altenburg, which the Kaiser in tranquil 
days had prepared for hunting parties in the nearby woods, but now the old 
haunt of pleasure is in ruins complete, done by soldiers of his own army. 

Raon l'Etape — "Raon, the stopping place," is approximately thirty kilo- 
meters northwest of Fraize. This was our home throughout the last part of 
the summer. From this as a center we made some wide explorations of the 
old trenches of 1914, of the ruins in and about Raon, and of the ever-present 

28 



chateau, which in this case was difficult to find, being hid away in a dense 
woods on a hill near the town and was called the "Chateau Feodal," built about 
1100 A. D. The complete characteristic of a building of this kind we will let a 
little eleven-year-old French boy express in his own words : 

"The feudal chateau, made under the reign of Louis VI, is destroyed be- 
cause the masters did not wish to listen to the king. The chateau was com- 
posed: (1) of the chapel where the young cavalier of 21 years prayed and 
promised to protect the children and the poor people; (2) the "forgetters" 
(dungeons), where the masters shut the people who did not wish to listen to 
them; (3) the large court, where passed the great ceremonies that were called 
tournaments, where two armed cavaliers on foot held combats with lances; (4) 
the four big towers and the thick walls with the lookout which was higher 
than the rest; (5) the large room of ceremonies, where the singer, passing 
from chateau to chateau, entertained; (6) the bridge which carried across the 
wide and deep fosse, encircled the chateau, not permitting the enemy to attack 
the chateau." — Marcel Finck, No. 1, Avenue de St. Die, Raon l'Etape, Vosges. 

The village cemetery of Raon is characteristic of all French cemeteries, 
and is located on a low hill across an intervening valley, from the site of the old 
chateau. 

A high stone wall surrounds the place, within are shrub-bordered aisles, 
dividing the mingled graves, of the recent and partly sunken grave of many 
an old villager. Inside the wall and bordering the cemetery is a fringe of yew 
trees, which also cluster at intervals within the yard. Over the graves of the 
poor are many weather-stained wooden crosses and faded floral pieces of col- 
ored beads, strung on thin wire and wound into the various designs of wreaths 
and flowers, or perhaps an image of a metal Christ, crucified, to a black bead 
cross, laid reverently on the breast of the departed. The more prosperous have 
stones of fashioned marble, some showing the aging effects of time, others, 
more recent, retain a polish which might be in proportion to the communities' 
memory of the dead. Here and there are large mausoleums, of best construc- 
tion and material, inclosing small sanctuaries with an altar, candlesticks, a 
cross of Christ, and the various images of the saving saints, to which the be- 
reaved may come to pray, themselves to comfort, and the dead to life 
eternal. 

But of increased interest and bordering on one side, completely walled in, 
for the exception of a narrow and locked gate, was another yard, grown over 
with shrubs and weeds, the graves were as old as the oldest in the first, but the 
stones were more of an average order, not conspicuous, but plain and durable, 
engraved entirely in the Hebrew, when the Jews suffered the worst of the 
persecuted, a probable explanation for this separate yard. 

A few American soldiers, including a lieutenant, were buried in another 
part, bordering on the first of these yards, all military honors being paid at 
their burial. 

Two other places of interest, descriptions of which would naturally come 
under the head of commercial history, are : The large trap and granite excava- 
tions south of Raon, and the combined wood pulp paper mill, text book and gen- 
eral printing plant, book bindery and manufacture of envelopes, writing paper 
and similar articles. The price, however, for seeing the first mentioned of 

29 



these places was dear, very dear, the penalty was ten days on the "G. I." cans 
for missing a two-hour gas drill, which was unexpectedly devised, but served 
thereafter to curb too extensive wanderings. 

On the hillside overlooking the cemetery are huge dumps, which repre- 
sent the surface excavation for years, of an immense trap and granite quarry. 
These dumps are overgrown with grass and brush, at least where there is 
enough soil for plants to subsist. On up the hillside farther, without the least 
warning, yawns a vast depression, like the crater of a volcano, or some mon- 
strous shell-hole. This is at least one-half mile across and nearly round. The 
land is slightly sloping and on the high side the depth is sixty meters or near- 
ly two hundred feet. There are five distinct terraces each twelve meters, or 
about forty feet, vertical cuts, and the landing or terrace widths are some 160 
feet, like five granite steps, one above the other. On each landing there are a 
number of small cars, into which the hard, fine formed, jagged flint-like rock 
is loaded in large pieces. The car is pushed over a narrow track to the in- 
clined gravity tramway, by which it is lowered to the bottom of the pit, at the 
same time pulling up an empty one to replace it. At the bottom a long con- 
tinuous chain carries the car along through a 600-foot tunnel, deep in the iron- 
like rock, at the speed of two miles an hour, for perhaps a mile and one-half to 
the crushers ; in turn the crushed rock loads itself into cars being taken either 
to the reserve pile or to the railroad, from where it is distributed to repair the 
permanent and durable highways of France. 

The labor during the war was done by soldiers of the 1880-90 class, that 
is, they were twenty-one years of age in that year, now being between 38 and 
48 years of age. German prisoners were not used on account of the proximity 
of the front, at this place eight kilometers, the limit being 30 kilometers, or 
about 20 miles to the rear. In this quarry, American air drills and compres- 
sors are used entirely and with satisfaction. 

A large hole from which granite has been quarried is now filled with 
water to a depth of 180 feet. In this hole a daring diver gave an exhibit, 
plunging from an almost equal height, from the cliff above. 

The marble obtained here is of a reddish color, makes an excellent build- 
ing stone, and takes a fine polish, a good deal being used in the neighboring 
cemetery and villages. 

The interesting feature of the paper mill was the conversion of large 
sticks of wood to paper, and the French madammoiselles, and the complete 
number of presses and machines for handling nearly all kinds of jobs in which 
paper is used. A sad feature, the great inroads of the war into the young men 
employed there, and the deserted and idle machinery, here most forcibly was 
brought home the crippling capacity of war for industry. 

St. Die — Midway between the last two towns was situated this famous old 
mountain city, which has peculiar interest for Americans and pronounced in 
French, "Sang Dee-ay." Here was the center of learning during the middle 
ages. There, in those days, there was no means of rapid communication and 
news travelled slowly. Columbus discovered America in 1492, but Spain kept 
the discovery a court secret, so that up to 1507, fifteen years later, the scholars 
of St. Die had not yet heard of Columbus. The explorations of Americus 

30 



Vespucius, however, had been widely discussed, and in this city the wise men 
issued a book of his travels. From this account our home was called America 
rather than Columbia. 

At the northern end of the principal street is the statue of a man, a mod- 
ern statesman and philanthropist of this region, Jules Ferry, 1832-1893. 

East of here in the sector bearing the same name is the village of Frap- 
pelle, four miles from the German border, where our company saw the first of 
their greatest activity. 

Vancouleurs — The old moulds of France's gift to America in 1884, the 
Statue of Liberty, enlightening the world, now at the entrance of New York 
harbor, may be seen in a field by the roadside near this village, a sight which 
carried us all back to the day of embarkation from our country. 

Ste. Menehould — In passing there are three brief things to remember of 
this village so near the front, yet so free from destruction and at the same 
time apparently lonesome, in its almost deserted streets. They are, the beau- 
tifully arranged cemetery, the last resting place of 6000 French soldiers and 
the location of the grave of an American woman, Mrs. Marion Crandall, Y. M. 
C. A. worker, killed by an air bomb in March, 1918; the large square on which 
faces the town hall, or the "Marie," with the date in large letters, "1780"; and 
the village, built around a hill, on top of which was "L'eglise et le chateau." 

Nancy — Miracles are always a source of wonder to some, and to others, 
the skeptical, are mere coincidences, but, miracle or coincidence, the following 
account, of which Joan of Arc is the heroine, has happened similarily a num- 
ber of times to other images throughout France during the war. Each time it 
had inspired a deeper devotion and a greater hope in the worshiper, whose 
prayer daily ascended for a successful conclusion of the war, for France. 

The church is not a great distance from the depot and railroad yards of 
Nancy, which, during the first year of the war, was under direct shell fire and 
a target for the German guns. As the result of one bombardment a "one 
hundred fifty-five" millimeter shell found its clean-cut way through the 
church ceiling, alighting just before the statue of Joan of Arc, indenting the 
pavement, but failing to explode. The shell, with bent and damaged nose, 
resting there on a small taborette beside the statue and the round hole in the 
ceiling overhead, both bear witness to the truth of the story. It was with pride 
that a woman with deepened religious convictions pointed us to the place. 

Nancy is a beautiful city, for the most part laid out at right angles, re- 
sembling somewhat a city in the States. The streets are straight and broad 
and are kept unusually clean. There are evidences of its once having been a 
walled city, now grown beyond the arches that still cover the streets that lead 
to the center of the city. These arches and walls formed by the exterior of 
buildings facing inwards provided means for making a stiff defense were it 
necessary. The city of Toul is built on the same plan and with an addition of 
grassy embankments encircling the town on two sides; the other two sides 
being high ground. Toul is also much older in appearance and lacks the 
straight streets. 

Buzancy — This was the final objective in the big drive in the Argonne, 
which started with the intense barrage that shook the earth and sky for miles 
on September 26th, 1918. This objective was not obtained for a month. 

31 



One week after its fall the streets were easily passable and the buildings 
were not very much wrecked. The centralized church had been used as a hos- 
pital and in several places had been shell struck. On the altar here were found 
some low-scale Germans maps of regions central France. 

On the principal street were two separate buildings, interiorly wrecked, 
but each bearing a tablet designating that one had been the lodgement of 
Saladin, the Turkish lieutenant of the Crusades, at one time when he was pass- 
ing through France ; the other, the home of Charles Coffin, recteur and asso- 
ciate of the colleges of Paris. Another nearby tablet designated the birth- 
place of a Chancellor of the Exchequer under Marie Antionette. 

Varennes — A few bare walls, resembling tombstones over the destroyed 
city, is our memory of Varennes. The city remembered in history as the place 
where Louis XVII and Marie Antionette tried to escape the wrath of the revo- 
lutionists but were apprehended in their attempted flight from France. 

Bar-le-Duc — Cycling lends itself both as a sport and means of transporta- 
cion to the French people, on account of the fine roads. In this city is a large 
memorial tablet to Pierre Michaux and his brother, for their work in develop- 
ing and further perfecting the bicycle; dated 1856. 

Marseilles and Gibralter finished our list of noted cities and left us free to 
enjoy the Atlantic ocean and watch for the Statue of Liberty. 



Ql^— e^ 



"*3 — &l&— B-'i 



*i§? 




32 



SOUVENIRS 



"Rat a tat tat, rat a tat tat," was the most frequent sound heard at old 
Camp Mallory, near Clermont en Argonne, except, perhaps, the peaceful 
sounds of sleeping near, or the noises made by the scurrying rats over the 
floor of the wooden barracks. 

The first part of the month of December, 1918, was passed in collect- 
ing and making souvenirs of various forms and patterns, which served tem- 
porarily to busy the soldiers' hands and minds and to burden the home- 
going mails. 

Following is an account or description of some of these "remembrances" 
which represent moments of our life in France. Our thoughts will be in the 
associations of our own construction of them, or in the arrangements made 
with some French mademoiselle, or soldier, or perhaps in the casual act of 
removing them from the recent battlefield, or from some of its victims. The 
French soldiers, during the long months of waiting, at their posts or in the 
trenches, found relief in manual work on both metal and on wood. Many 
of their articles were sent to their families in the "Service of Supply," where 
among other novelties of a new land, they occupied a place in the interested 
attention of the arriving American soldier. Great ingenuity is often mani- 
fest in these articles, in which appear the inherent art and characteristic 
handiwork of the French people. Concrete examples of this is shown in the 
designs and engravings made on the brass shells of the "seventy-five" and 
"on hundred-five" milimeter guns or in the pricked designs made of leaves. 

The shells best adapted to the making of vases are the three to four inch 
brass shells, the cleanest and most perfect being selected and a design, per- 
haps of a Lorraine cross with a sprig of oak, bearing an acorn, or a branch 
of pine bending in natural curve over the double barred cross, is outlined on 
the shell. Frequently the above design is used, but there are many others, 
for there is much room for originality. A round tight fitting block, of the 
same diameter as the interior caliber of the shell, is inserted to make a firm 
hammering base. The design is then wrought out on the brass, frequently 
the date is added. Sometimes from the base for three or four inches up, the 
side of the shell is crimped or forced in, in corrugations, leaving the base the 
same size, but diminshing the diameter above in a gentle incurve, resembling 
an hour glass, which again comes to the full diameter with the straight 
sides, bearing the design. Ofttimes the beauty is increased by the use of 
an acid which darkens and stains the design, making in all a very attractive 
and much desired article. Those of us who did not possess the facilities for 
making them, had opportunities to purchase them, the price ranging from 
15 to 25 francs apiece. 

Another article which some American boys, at Evacuation Hospital No. 
1, near Toul, were making, from the shells of the St. Mihiel drive, was a 
combined ash tray, match box and cigarette holder. The shell was cut off 

33 



two and one-half inches from the base, which left the percussion cap, fuse 
stem in the center, projecting above the rim of the out shell. The thin dis- 
carded part of the sides above were fashioned into two receptacles, which was 
attached like a saddle across the upstanding stem. The receptacles were 
secured by a screw which was threaded into the stem and at the same time 
secures a roughened piece of metal for a scratcher. 

Later some of the boys of our Company constructed ash trays some- 
what different, using the short shells of the 105, in which they hammered 
with a stylus, designs of doughboys on the march and in the trenches, taking 
pattern pictures from the advertisements in a magazine. 

Other popular articles constructed by members of the Company are the 
two franc silver rings, small vases from one pound shells, and buckled rings 
of aluminum and brickets, both from cartridge shells or from brass tubing, 
and pieces of brass from shells. These brickets were patterned in forms of 
imitation books, French canteens, or were simple round convex discs inlaid 
by a French coin, or the pattern of the belt buckle design of the German 
soldier. 

The brickets represent a practical as well as an ornamental use. For 
a while matches were scarce and smoking abundant, also they are convenient 
for temporary lighting purposes. The necessary parts of this article are : 
A container or reservoir for the "essence" or gasoline, or alcohol, made in 
various shapes or sizes, a threaded pipette for the wick, a hollow support in 
which little round stone flints and a spring are inserted, the support having 
a round, roughened wheel, which upon being turned by the thumb, throws a 
shower of sparks on the wick, which lights like tinder. The wheel and support 
are attached to the container near enough to the wick to be efficient. A 
small cap screws on over the wick to prevent evaporation when lighter is not 
in use. A two spouted French canteen design lends itself well for this pur- 
pose. A smaller lighter but confined to "smokers" is the type where the gas- 
oline container is replaced by a long and usually yellow cord, which burns 
with a punk like glow. 

The two franc rings are made by patiently hammering the milled edge 
of the coin until gradually the words around the edge of the disc are turned 
inward with the date. The centp^ of the coin is drilled out, the inside then 
smoothed with a file, the ring polished, beveled and smoothed. "Liberte, 
Egalitie, Fraternite" with the date 1918 shows with the less distinct Republic 
^ rancais on the inside of the ring, making brothers, all whom wear the 
ring. The buckled ring is made from a small strip of aluminum, usually ob- 
tained from a "Boche" aeronlane brought down near bv. 

An attractive and practical article, rarely made, is the picture holder. 
The cartridges for the army rifle come in clips, five cartridges together in 
this way. Utilizing eight cartridges by soldering them end to end at the 
caps, three front supports and one rear movable support is made. Connect- 
ing the three parts together with two clips to hold the picture in place, drill 
a small hole through the nose of the steel bullet of the rear support and with 
a piece of light wire attached to the picture support as a hinge. The slant of 
the picture can be adjusted as the points of the bullet prevent any slipping. 

34 



In the region around Raon l'Etape, the Lorraine country and the Vosges, 
the girls are artists with the needle, and in working out articles in colors 
with beads, for which they find a ready sale. The most popular of these 
articles were handbags, such as women carry for small articles, like purses 
and handkerchiefs, etc. These bags are bead work of beautiful blended colors 
and lined with silk, ranging in price from 25 to 30 francs. 

Northwest of there the Alsatian maidens make the finest hand made 
lace in the world. Their looms were wantonly broken by the Hun, when he 
found it necessary to retreat, leaving some of the people of Alsace no means 
of farther earning their living. Samples of this lace and others of fine qual- 
ity were sent home by the boys to please their friends and the feminine love 
for finery. 

Embroidery of the first quality, but mostly obtained through the stores, 
was represented in handkerchiefs, aprons, sofa pillow covers and wearing 
apparel, and were at first low in price in comparison with similar work at 
home. Smaller articles, as brilliant colored post cards in silk, with the Allied 
flags, and picture postcards of the views of villages and points of interest in 
the environs, were offered for sale. 

A very nice way to keep the buttons collected, representing the various 
departments and organizations of the armies, is a broad belt, punched at 
regular intervals with holes through which the screw buttons are attached, or 
the ones with loops are threaded with a light piece of wire. Quite a number 
of these belts are extant among soldiers of the A. E. F. 

The cosmopolitan aggregation of soldiers representing the Allied armies, 
has naturally mixed the coins. From the circulation of money, a fair collec- 
tion of English, French, Italian and Belgian coins, and an occasional Snanish 
coin may be gleaned. The German prisoners are always eager to exchange 
coins or other loose articles about them, for tobacco, French money, or some- 
thing to eat. 

The week-old battlefield was still a prolific source of souvenirs for many. 
The greatest interest being centered in the helmets. The spiked and polished 
brass helmets were rare, but there was an abundance of the plain iron ones, 
which fit well down on the head, protecting the neck and ears. The auto- 
matic pistol of the German is called a "Luger," a much-desired article, and 
mainly found by the doughboy, who was there to get it. Other relics were 
prized, as the signal pistols, unexploded hand grenades, unused one pound 
shells from the tanks, bayonets, Hun rifles, German books, papers and even a 
china cup on which was an iron cross decoration, with a crown, the initial 
letter "W" and "1914." This cup was picked up beside the bodies of two 
dead Huns. If anything has been omitted, it is left for the returning soldier 
to himself recount. 




35 



INCIDENTS OF THE WAR 



"GOING IN" 

"First aid men to the front," was an announcement that resulted in 
eight of us being sent to Laveline, in the Voges sector. After a fourteen-kilo- 
meter hike with the company the day before, from Vienville to Fraize, we had 
arrived about dusk, when it had just begun to rain. Lucky, "chow" was soon 
served by our lightning kitchen force. We were quite fatigued from the hike 
and were soon off to sleep ; thanks to the nice place in the French hospital ward. 

Soon after breakfast the next morning, I was sitting on my bunk talking 
to a few of the boys, when we were called, to be ready at once to go to the front. 
The ambulances were ready and so were we. It was our first time to go on 
detached service to the front and it was also the first group of first-aid men 
from the company to go to a dressing station. Our ambulance company being 
attached to the French army, we worked with French soldiers. 

It was raining pitchforks and needles, the kind of weather one would 
select to shoot ducks in, but we finally arrived at the infirmary at Laveline. 
The previous day having been damp, with no wind, was favorable for gas, so 
the Germans had thrown shell gas over the night before, and, as I explored a 
passage in the infirmary, I found an exit which led me on the outside to the 
rear of the place. Curiously, of course, I opened the door in an old wood shed, 
and, behold, my eyes saw a number of French soldiers laid there like cord 
wood. They had evidently been gassed the night before. I didn't look on very 
long, but thought of my own gas mask and wondered if they had been drilled 
as much as I had would they have been gassed. 

There was all kinds of war scenery imaginable about, — trenches, en- 
tanglements, dugouts and camouflaged screens along the road. 

Here we received instructions to go farther along, which we did in full 
marching pack and in the rain. The French corporal in charge of the detail, 
remarked "Eight Kilometers." We had not gone far when we met an Ameri- 
can machine gunner who was going near the same place, so we accompanied 
him. 

There were about three kilometers, all uphill, and dark was coming on. 
We were pretty tired but none of us would stop until the Frenchman spoke, 
which was quite often. It was then I knew I could outwalk a Frenchman. After 
we had arrived at the "Poste de Secours" or battalion aid station it was dark 
and all of us were drenched. Here we had much difficulty in finding out from 
the guide, who could speak but little English, just where we should go. We 
rested awhile, and the Major having arranged with the "cuisinier" for our 
supper, we were not long in getting there, but this was the worst sight yet. 
a shell had dropped in the place a short while before. We returned, got on 
our packs, and started off again along the road, over which burros were used 
to carry food and ammunition to the men in the trenches and to bring out 

36 



litters with the wounded. I felt much like a jackass myself. Within a kilo- 
meter we came to the relay post to which we were to evacuate our patients 
and passing this, we followed the guide along and asked him how far we 
had yet to go. "Pas beaucoup," he replied. We descended the hill and were 
soon at the post, a strongly built dugout in the hillside. Here an American 
Lieutenant gave us instructions, telling us of the "Boche" shelling the place, 
co be on the alert for gas, and to avoid being seen by aviators. We set about 
arranging the place. Just then the Germans began shelling a French artillery 
emolacement. This continued for an hour. We removed our wet clothing, 
got into our bunks, which were iust sufficient lor the five of us, — but it is 
always to be remembered that a soldier sleeps packed like a sardine. I slept 
pretty well that night but couldn't help hearing a barrage that took place 
along the front. We were up early the next morning, starting the regular 
routine of our work, learning from French soldiers, whom we got along with 
nicely. Fourteen days saw us back with the company and with a lot of 
experience. 

FIRST SHELL FIRE 

I have often thought, since I have been in France, that when I get home, 
and in time to come when I am talking about this war, someone will speak 
up and ask, "When were you the most scared?" So now I am going to try 
my luck at writing about the time. 

We were at the town of Fraize, in the Vosges mountains. The company 
headquarters was at a hospital in the northeastern part of town. We were 
allowed passes to go to town in the evening but were to be in quarters by 
nine o'clock. 

There were no big shows in this town, nor places of amusement at which 
to spend the evening, as the town was about five miles directly in the rear 
of the lines, but there was a hardware store run by an old man who had a 
son about twenty-six years old and two daughters, one about twenty and the 
other about twenty-two years old, and most every night one could go into this 
hardware store and find a few American soldiers "trying to learn French." 

About eight-thirty, after we had been studying French about half an 
hour, the old man suddenly came running in from the rear of the store and 
speaking a lot of jumbled French that was too much for me to get, but the 
girls understood and the result was that they had the whole of us running 
with them out of the back door and then I knew the reason for all the hurry. 
We heard a shell break and it sounded as though it were just in the next 
yard. It did not take us long to reach the place of shelter to which we were 
conducted. Soon the old man came in with a candle and I saw that we were 
in a dugout which was about five feet wide and about twelve feet in length 
and high enough so that we could stand upright. 

As soon as I got settled I began to look around. The two girls were 
sitting on boxes in one end of the dugout and the others sat near the old 
man. The young fellow stood up. I rorgot to mention that there were two 
little girls, about seven years old, in the store at the time this show started, 
and they were in the dugout with the rest of us. They were having a race, 

37 



each trying to cry harder than the other, (I guess they felt about the same 
as I did). The boy dug around in one corner of the place and brought out 
a box of gas masks and each was given one; I passed, saying that the mask 
that Uncle Sam gave me was good enough. During the time we were getting 
ready for all this gas old "Jerry" did not lay off but was sending those shells 
over about as fast as he could put them in his field Dieces over there. They 
were trying to get a supply depot which was about two hundred yards down 
the street from the store but were missing it by about a hundred yards and the 
shells were dropping between the depot and the store, so there was no doubt 
but what we felt the concussion. The shells would break and then the pieces 
would fly up, hitting the buildings near by. Then these girls and the boy 
would laugh. Well, J could not see the joke so I did not do any laughing 
for awhile, but every little while I would smile, but I think that it hurt me 
a little to smile at that. I kept looking around in that dugout and they 
noticed the way I was looking the place over and I asked them in my best 
French if it was safe in there, and they told me it was and then they would 
make a sign to be quiet and we would listen and you could hear one of those 
boys coming and they seemed to say "You !", and I expected one to come over 
with my name and address on, at any minute. 

A FALSE ALARM AT NIGHT 

One of those inky black nights in August, 1918, somewhere in the Vosges 
Mountains, at or about midnight I was called out to make a trip. The order 
read, "One ambulance report to Bruce for wounded man. Litter case. At 
once." The air was cool and not cold and one looked forward to the trip with 
buoyant expectancy rather than regret for the extra work. With a turn of the 
crank of the old G. M. C. the motor was going and the driver climbed into 
his seat. The car glided slowly out of the park and onto the road leading 
through a small French town apparently deserted, and except for an occasional 
sentry pacing his beat, silent at this late hour. Out from the village the road 
led along the foot of some low hills with now and then a farmhouse which 
always eased the tense nerves of the driver. Maybe he was a little "scared" 
but "nervous" sounds better when speaking of a soldier. 

There was no traffic on the road which was lucky for the driver be- 
cause he could not see his hand before his face, and the noise of the motor 
rendered his ears deaf to any sound of approaching vehicles. As we went 
along the road became rougher and the hill steeper. Large trees now lined 
the way on both sides and the darkness became more intense. Often it was 
necessary to stop so that the driver might rest his eyes, because peering stead- 
ily into the blackness finally brings one to the point where he can see practic- 
ally nothing. The road was narrow and it would be a physical impossibility 
for two vehicles to pass one another. 

We rolled on over bumps, into holes and occasionally felt the wheels dan- 
gerously close to the ditch which drained the road on either side. As we neared 
the station our senses grew keener, our nerves more on edge and we were 
startled by a command somewhere close in front, "Halt!" The car was 
brought to an abrupt stop with a careful regard, for it does not pay to be care- 
less when a sentry at the front tells you to do anything. After making our- 

38 



selves known we were allowed to pass on. I do not know how it affects other 
drivers but this one always feels much relieved when he gets by a sentry, as 
some of them have a bad habit of carelessly toying with the trigger of their 
guns and often are more or less nervous themselves. 

From here on the road was more heavily camouflaged than ever, — it was 
darker, too. Bang ! We had hit a shell hole and thought that the front spring 
was broken, but it was not. The machine was all together a little shaky as 
the jolt was rather sudden and we never did like those sudden things anyway. 
Oh, how we wished for lights, but "C'est le Guerre." After several thrills, 
caused by imaginary Boche snipers along the road we at last reached the dress- 
ing station. 

The orderly jumped out and let the tail-gate down and took a litter to ex- 
change for the one that the wounded man was on, as is the custom in the 
ambulance service. We stood ready and anxious to receive our patient and 
rush him to the hospital as fast as possible, but Lo ! and Behold ! our litter 
patient is walking! We ask him, ''What is the matter?" and he says, "I've 
got the itch!" 

To continue this narrative would be unwise, as the writer, who was also 
the driver, was in no frame of mind to use words that would look good in print. 
That man had a real fast, rough ride to the hospital and little care was given 
to the rough spots in the road, as a little extra jolting was as good a treat- 
ment as could be given a man in his condition. 

THE WEEK BEFORE THE SIGNING 
OF THE ARMISTICE 

The week was a busy one for the Company, the ambulance section evacu- 
ting patients back to the rear, the rest of the Company operating a relay sta- 
tion. This work was kept up continually with a steady stream of patients 
coming in, the ambulances running day and night, the orderlies driving dur- 
ing the day and the drivers at night. The casualties became so numerous that 
it was necessary to transport the slightly wounded and sick in trucks. The 
roads leading to the lines were terribly congested with trucks and moving 
troops, making traveling extremely slow and the weather for the most of the 
time continued rainy, with a heavy fog and mist throughout the night. 

The work at the relay station consisted of redressing the wounded and 
distributing hot coffee and sandwiches to the patients, making them generally 
comfortable until evacuating ambulances could transport them to hospitals for 
further treatment, and then continue transportation to the base hospitals for 
the severely wounded. There were quite a number of French civilians brought 
in, some sick, other shell shocked. They were immediately turned over to the 
French authorities and sent to a large French hospital situated about 25 
miles in the rear. There were also a considerable number of German wounded 
sent in and they were a sorry looking lot, with haggard faces and their 
clothes in a terrible condition. 

After the signing of the armistice the sick and wounded continued to come 
through for three days. The roads again resumed a more orderly appearance. 
Things in general relaxed and became more systematic since ceasing of hos- 

39 



tilities. There was much rejoicing between the French and the Americans. 
There was a great deal of celebrating, the skies at night were continually 
lighted up with star shells, which had been left by the Germans. Everybody 
carried a smile and a hearty welcome for all. For us in this vicinity it was 
the finish of the world's war and the end of all terrible events and happen- 
ings, which is always welcome. 

"C'EST LAGUERRE" 

"We move early in the morning. No rumor, either, 'cause I got it on the 
square. I just talked with "Hardtack" as he was going after some water 
for the kitchen. He got it from the ranking K. P., who heard the Mess Ser- 
geant tell the Head Cook to be ready. The Mess Sergeant's got a tip from 
the Top Kick, and the Top Kick ought to know." 

"Well, I will be glad to get out of this mud hole. No place can be worse 
than this. But have you talked with James yet? Hunt him up and find out if 
the Major has given him any confidential stuff." 

"But, where are we going?" 

"I can't pronounce the name of the place. It's something like thermometer, 
but it isn't that. It ends with g-u-e-s-. I understand that we are to take a 
couple of ward tents along." 

"What for?" 

"I guess we are going to operate a relay station." 

The following morning before "Old Sol" took his first peep over the hori- 
zon, to see how far the American "Doughboys" had advanced during the night, 
the ambulance men had had their breakfast, had packed, and ready to move. 

After a rough two hours' ride on trucks they were at Thenorgues. The 
trucks were parked behind the remains of some buildings that were the worse 
for tear rather than wear. During the day the boys lounged about, keeping 
under cover, munching hardtack, and discussing the latest rumors. Naturally 
rumors about an impending armistice had a prominent place in all discussions. 

The close of the day brought with it an especially dark night. Natural- 
ly it began to rain. It may be superfluous to say that it rained, because rain 
is always to be expected in France. That's why the country is called "Sunny 
France." About this time, out of the darkness came the command, "All 
Aboard," and it was noised about that the Company would pitch camp in a 
certain field north of the town. 

Upon reaching the destination the trucks were brought to a stop, while 
the first made an effort to get into the field. No lights of any kind were per- 
mitted. The driver must drive very carefully because the field is full of shell 
holes. However, he didn't get very far for the truck was soon mired and could 
go no further. The truck was unloaded and willing hands furnished the 
needed "horse power" to get it out of the mud. 

It was useless to try and get the trucks through the mud of the field so 
it was decided to unload them where they were and carry their contents by 
hand. The ward tents were first unloaded and carried about a hundred yards, 

40 



where a detail under two Sergeants began to pitch them in the dark as best 
they could. The other men were put to work to unload the trucks and carry 
the supplies to a place near where the tents were being pitched. 

But who would have thought that the company had so many supplies? 
Where did all this junk come from? The Supply Sergeant never had any- 
thing to issue us when we needed it. But, we knew that the faster we 
worked, the sooner we would get to bed. 

One of the boys slipped and fell into a shell hole, — into soft mud up to 
his waist. Instinctively he grabbed for something to hold onto. One hand 
clutched something. He crawled out of the shell hole and examined the article 
in his hand. Horrors ! It was the foot of a German. But where's the Hun 
that belonged to this foot? 

It continued to rain. It might as well as everybody was wet to the skin. 
Anyone who was not drenched must have been stalling. Finally the trucks 
were unloaded and the supplies covered with a canvas, and the tents were 
pitched. Camp "Hun-Foot" was established. 

The boys unrolled their wet blankets in the tents, spread them over the 
wet ground, and were soon dreaming of immaculate white sheets on soft beds 
in a cozy w T arm room, somewhere in a distant land, — HOME ! 

"TRIXY" 

She came to us from somewhere out beyond , where the woods of the 
Argonne hid the din and smoke of battle, a little, ill-kept, poorly-fed, fox 
terrier pup. One ear drooped dismally, due probably to the kick of some 
army mule. The other ear stood up inquiringly, however, and even in those 
first few days that she was with us, her clear courageous eyes shone with un- 
daunted spirit. It is possible that she had been born in some underground 
chamber in Verdun or Rheims, and it may be that her parents helped to cheer 
the "poilu" during their heroic defense of those places in the past two years. 
Whatever was her history, and the facts will never be known, "Trixy" soon 
wove herself into the heartstrings of the men of the Company. With an in- 
quiring and appraising eye she looked us over, examining our method of trans- 
portation, the commissioned and enlisted personnel, our beds with especial 
care, and lastly, the kitchen. All meeting with her approval, "Trixy" decided 
to adopt the Company and soon was as much as home with us as she had been 
with the French soldiers. We always assumed that she had been raised among 
P rench soldiers first, by her perfect knowledge of the French language, and 
second by her evident enjoyment and perfect familiarity with camp life. It 
was not long, however, before she picked up enough English to converse with 
the boys on such topics as were of mutual interest, such, as, time for chow, or 
who was to carry the lantern while she hunted rats, or, on a particularity cold 
night, if some arrangements could not be made whereby she could get under 
someone's blankets. 

During the Argonne drive and the drive of the Meuse, "Trixy" did her 
part. Many were the battles she waged with huge, pro-German rats, fre- 
quently bitten, but always coming off victorious. Later she helped us to while 

41 



away the time in camp while awaiting our orders home. No morning was too 
chilly for her to stand reveille with the boys and every drill and hike found 
"Trixy" in the ranks like a true soldier. 

She soon grew to know every member of the organization and would 
willingly follow them on their walks and was fond of taking trips on ambu- 
lances, but here her acquaintances ended. No one else could persuade her to 
get into a car nor would she follow any one off. Many covetous eyes were 
cast on our pet as she rounded out and grew sleek and fat with the kind treat- 
ment and good food she received. Unlike several other dogs we had had since 
reaching France, she never strayed from camp and was always happy and con- 
tented no matter what the conditions were. 

Perhaps you expect a thrilling account of some great disaster, very nar- 
rowly averted by the intelligence and courage of our little friend, but here 
you will be disappointed. Not that we do not believe, that should the occasion 
arise, she would not have met it with the same spirit with which dangers have 
been met by so many other faithful friends of man in this way, but "Trixy's" 
part seemed to be to keep alive in the hearts of men, liable to grow hard and 
unsympathetic under the stern conditions of war, that leavening influence of 
kindness, and who will say that this is not as great a work as any ! 

LA COLLET TO GASON BOUQUET 

La Collet is a French rest camp, located in the forests of the Vosges Moun- 
tains about six miles east of Gerardmer, a summer resort of eastern France. 
It was at this rest camp that we were stationed, on detached service, with the 
15th Machine Gun Company, of the 5th Division. 

On the afternoon of June 19th we were given orders to follow, with the 
ambulance, the 6th Infantry, which was to pass through La Collet that night 
at 8 :45 P. M., on their way to the trenches. After seeing that all was in shape 
for the start, we awaited the troops, who arrived on time. The weather was 
cold and damp and a light rain began just as we were ready to start. 

We were to follow about 500 feet in the rear of the marching infantry, 
the kitchen and ammunition carts following about 500 yards back of us. After 
we had passed through Col de la Schlucht, a small town completely ruined by 
the Hun, we turned into a road cutting through a dense wood. Darkness 
had settled down in good shape and by this time the rain was making good 
its threat and we had gone probably three miles in this wood when the French 
artillery on our left opened up long range firing, and to make matters better, 
somebody "passed the buck" by giving the gas signal. Our masks were imme- 
diately brought into use. After we had travelled this way for about twenty 
minutes I discovered that the mounted French guard who was following the 
ambulance had made no attempt to use his mask and when he advised me that 
there was no gas, but that the bombardment was from the French, we imme- 
diately discarded our masks, as one could barely see the road without them on. 

The trip went well, but very slowly, until we reached the small town of 
Gason Martin. This town is built on a mountain pass and the roads from 
here on were in terrible condition. They were just wide enough for the am- 

42 



bulance to travel in, leaving about four to six inches to spare, and beyond 
this was a sheer drop of from four to twelve hundred feet, to the valley below. 
The hills and mountains over which this road from Gason Martin to Gason 
Bouquet runs, are of the steepest, in fact, some were so steep that to descend 
it became necessary to shut off the motor and shift to first speed, as the brakes 
were useless. 

As we came around a turn about two miles past Gaston Martin, the Hun 
must have received the news that we were in the vicinity, for they gave us a 
shower of star shells which lit up the country all around us. The star shells 
afforded us the opportunity to see the road, although they gave the Hun the 
chance of seeing us, for by this time the darkness was of the blackest and the 
rain coming down in torrents made it impossible to see the road. It became 
necessary for one of us to lead the way on foot and most of the time the one 
driving could not see him, but had to drive in the direction of the sound of 
his voice. It would be either "Keep more to the right," or "Wait until I find 
the road." We drove in this manner for about six miles, one driving, the other 
walking the road. We would have to change about every twenty minutes, as 
the one driving would go temporarily blind, trying to see the other through the 
blackness. Several of the kitchens with the mules went over the side and down 
into the valley below. None of the men were hurt as the teamsters and 
drivers were leading their teams on foot. 

At last, in coming around a sharp "S" turn, a half mile from our destina- 
tion, we met our doom. Here we slid off the road and down the hill, connect- 
ing up with two large trees that saved us from plunging down a steep grade. 
In the darkness we could not see any way of getting out, so we left the ambu- 
lance and proceeded on foot to our journey's end and decided to return, if 
possible, during the daylight and get the ambulance back on the road. 

We arrived at a shack just back of the trenches. We were soaked to the 
skin and little chance of getting any sleep. We laid down in a shack with three 
sides and 95 per cent of the roof missing, but to sleep was nearly impossible, 
yet this was better than the road. 

About nine o'clock things started to stir about, so we proceeded to hunt 
up something to eat. We were fairly successful and obtained some corned 
"willy" and hardtack from an American kitchen and a cup of coffee from the 
French. 

The next order on the program was to get our ambulance back on the road 
and make our trip back to La Collet, but the French General would not give 
us permission to leave until dark, so we proceeded to find a place to sleep until 
nightfall. Again we were successful and through the guidance of some French 
soldiers, we located a large dugout built in the side of the mountain. It was 
one of the largest I have ever seen, being capable of housing two thousand or 
more men. In this dugout we caught up on our sleep and about five oclock 
that afternoon we endeavored to obtain four mules to aid us in recovering 
the ambulance, but some orders came preventing us from getting out that 
night, but we made our way out to the ambulance to look the situation over. 
We found it was possible, with the aid of mules, to get our car back on the road. 
However, we had to lay over that night and the next day before we were able 
to make our getaway. 

43 



The weather during our two nights' and two days' stay here was rainy 
and cloudy, so under the cover of the mist on the evening of June 21st, we made 
our start from the trenches with a driver and four mules. After consider- 
able maneuvering, we finally succeeded in getting our ambulance back on the 
road and headed for La Collet. The trip back was made without any trouble 
at all. We left Gason Bouquet at 8:00 P. M. and arrived at La Collet at 9 :05 
P. M., June 21st, all "present and accounted for." 

"LINING UP FOR AN OFFENSIVE" 

Supper is over. The kitchen is loaded on a truck as it had been unloaded 
an hour before. The Top Sergeant gruffly orders the men, "On to the ambu- 
lances," and they scramble aboard. The Transportation Officer shouts, "Am- 
bulances and trucks, line up!", and one by one the ambulances and trucks 
emerge from the wood and take their places in line. As soon as all is set the 
Commanding Officer gives the signal,"Forward," and the cars are on their 
way. 

We pass through the crooked streets of a village and they are silent and 
deserted. The houses look cold and uninviting. The shutters are closely drawn. 
No beam of light is allowed to escape to guide the traveler, for this is one of 
the many French towns under the shadow of the guns of the Hun, whose mer- 
ciless aviators wantonly drop their missiles of death on open towns and gloat 
over the death of non-combatant women and children. 

Beyond the village a sentry challenges us ! Our credentials are produced 
and we are allowed to proceed on our way. 

The moon faintly rises over the eastern horizon. The gray road looms up 
brighter before us, and it is easier to find our way. This advantage may prove 
our undoing, for it will be less difficult for the enemy to see us. 

We are entering a deep forest. The road becomes very narrow. The train 
is brought to a sudden halt. What can be holding up the traffic? Sounds of 
oaths and curses reach our ears. It is such a volume of oaths that only a 
mule-skinner can give vent to. Can it be that a mule is living up to his noto- 
riety and is balking at this critical hour? The C. 0. proceeds on foot to 
investigate. 

A French truck dashes madly by. It lands in the ditch a few hundred 
yards away. A Sergeant calls for a detail of men, who immediately help the 
French driver to get his truck on solid footing again. 

The train moves slowly forward. The road is wider here so we can pass 
the slow mule train. As we speed by it is with hopes that we don't meet cars 
bound in the opposite direction. We pass long lines of Infantrymen marching 
in single file on both sides of the road. As the "Doughboys" trudge wearily 
on, with their heavily laden packs, without a doubt they look with wistful eyes 
on the fleeting ambulances. Their thoughts are turned toward the future 
and they wonder if on the morrow they will be among the wounded, and per- 
haps be transported to a hospital in one of these ambulances. 

Suddenly at the foot of a hill some of the ambulances are brought to 
a stop, very abruptly indeed, and collisions are narrowly averted. We have 
reached a point where Infantrymen are crossing the road. "Off from the road. 

44 



Gangway!" shouts the leading driver. The Infantrymen pay no attention. 
The ambulance moves slowly forward but is halted by an officer. "What are 
you trying to pull off?" irritably asks a Captain of Infantry. "I have got to 
get through," retorts the ambulance driver. "If you hold up the rear of my 
Company I will be behind schedule," answers the Captain. "Only a minute, sir, 
eighteen ambulances and three trucks." "Go ahead," says the Captain. 

A little later we leave the main highway and follow a path into the wood. 
We are in the deep recesses of the Argonne forest. The ambulances are 
parked under trees so that they will be camouflaged. The men spread their 
blankets on the ground to get some rest, if rest there will be. Except for an 
occasional bursting of a shell sent over by the Germans, the night is quiet. 

Eighteen hours later, the greatest artillery barrage of the war is laid on 
the German positions. The great American offensive has begun. 

The Argonne Drive is on! 

"AMBULANCE DRIVER'S EXPERIENCE" 

We were detailed with an ambulance to a dressing station to the rear 
of the lines and here we had been stationed for some time, waiting for any 
chance casualties. This morning I was engaged in a very necessary function 
of a soldier, which is to keep clean shaven, for while at the front it insures a 
tight fitting gas mask and in the rear it is necessary for appearance sake and 
likewise assures a clean face. I had not finished this operation when I heard 
a few shells coming over and in rushed a Lieutenant, who ordered me to drive 
the ambulance up the hill for a soldier that had been wounded by a shell frag- 
ment. So away we went and the closer we came to the place where the 
wounded man lay the thicker the shells seemed to drop. Soon the Lieutenant 
said, "Better stop, and we will run right across this little hill to the dugout." 
The stretcher bearers grabbed the litter, the lieutenant led the way and I brought 
up in the rear. The first thing I knew we were picking ourselves up. Two 
big high explosive shells had burst within a few feet of us in a creek. The 
concussion is so great that when one of those "Jack Johnsons" burst that it 
is nearly impossible to stand up, that is if a piece doesn't hit you. The smoke, 
mud and sand were so thick that we were unable to locate each other for a min- 
ute or two. After the smoke had cleared away and we had wiped the sand 
out of our eyes, one of the boys asked me if I was hurt. I said, "Not yet!" 

"Well, something hit me," he replied, and after examination we found a 
piece of jagged iron that had gone through his gas mask respirator and lodged 
in his shirt. We did not have much time to talk it over here so we hurried 
on and after we were safely in the dugout several more shells fell right in 
our trail. 

We bandaged our wounded soldier's leg, placed him on a litter and then 
made our way to the ambulance. Luck was with us for no more shells came 
over until we were far down the road on the way to the field hospital. 



45 



NIGHT ROADS 

During the latter part of August and September, 1918, while the company 
was doing evacuation work in the Vosges sector, about half of the transpor- 
tation section of the company, under command of Lieut. Whitlock, was sta- 
tioned at the city of St. Die. At about nine o'clock on the evening of Septem- 
ber 2nd, while we were preparing for bed, two officers of the 32nd Engineers 
came into our billet with the statement that some of their men who were work- 
ing at an advanced station called Richsberg, near Bonhomme, had been 
gassed, and they requested that ambulances be sent to evacuate the gassed 
men. Upon inquiry we found that they had received no report as to the num- 
ber of men who were gassed, neither did they know the exact location of the 
station where the men were, but they promised to furnish a man as guide who 
had been at Richsberg and who knew the road. 

It may not be out of place to state here that Richsberg, as its name im- 
plies, was German, or, in other words, east of the French-Alsace border. 
After taking into consideration all the facts obtainable, it was decided to send 
two ambulances. Edgar Houser (otherwise known as "Dutch") and myself 
were chosen to take the trip and the guide was to ride with me, I being chosen 
to lead as I knew the road as far as Plainfang, through which we would have 
to pass. 

It was a dark, moonless night, with some clouds in the sky — enough to 
obscure most of the stars, so I lighted dim headlights, which I used as far as 
Fraize, a distance of about ten miles, Houser following my taillight, which I had 
lighted also. At Fraize we extinguished our lights and proceeded in the dark, 
following the road as we did in the majority of our drives — principally by 
guess. 

From Fraize we started east, through Plainfang, and up a long winding 
hill toward Bonhomme. Near the top of the hill we entered heavy timber, 
which covers nearly all of that sector. While in the timber there is only one 
way to follow the road — watch the sky which shows a little light between the 
foliage where the trees have been cleared away for the road, and to keep 
directly under this path of light. We had not gone far in this manner until 
I lost all sense of direction, but appeared, in my opinion, to be following a gen- 
eral northeasterly course. 

About an hour after reaching the top of the hill we came to a forked road 
leading in three directions. The guide was somewhat undecided as to which 
of the three roads to follow, but after some hesitation he chose the road to the 
right as being the correct one. His hesitation caused me to become somewhat 
suspicious of him as a guide, as I thought he would not show hesitancy if he 
knew the road. 

However, I said nothing, but proceeded on the way, up a slight rise, and 
then suddenly started down quite a sharp incline. While on this incline the 
guide suddenly told me that we were on the wrong road. I stopped the ma- 
chine and questioned him as to how thoroughly he knew the route. He acknowl- 

46 



edged that, although he had only been over the road once in each direction, still 
he was positive that on his former trip he had gone up hill all the way to 
Richsberg. Of course, that meant only one thing — that we must turn around 
and go back. We found the road too narrow to turn the machines, and, as we 
did not feel like going forward any farther without knowing what lay ahead, 
we backed the machines for about five hundred yards, until the road widened 
enough to turn. We then retraced our way until we came again to the place 
where the roads forked. At this place we found a French sentry, from whom 
we inquired the road. He recognized the name of Richsberg, knew how to find 
the place, and told us that we had been off the road since leaving Plainfang, 
but that we could reach our destination on the road which we were following 
at night, but that it would be extremely dangerous during daylight on account 
of its being exposed to German shell-fire. 

So we again started out, taking the road which we had followed before, 
and passing over the rise which I mentioned and over a second hill. While 
descending the second hill, we had another experience which gave us a thrill 
for the moment. When part down the hill, the line of light from the sky 
above me, which I had been following, suddenly disappeared, and everything 
became black. I threw out the clutch and was just applying the brake when 
Crash ! — the sound of splintering timbers, and the ambulance stopped just as 
the right front wheel dropped over — something. We got out and investi- 
gated, and found that the road made a sudden turn to the left, with a bridge 
right at the corner. This accounted for the fact that the sky had disappeared, 
and it was the railing of the bridge through which we had run, the car stop- 
ping just as one wheel dropped over the edge of the bridge. The men got out 
of the other car, and all lifted on the front wheel while I reversed the machine, 
and in this way we were lucky enough to get the machine onto the bridge 
again, and proceeded once more on our way. I do not know yet the height of 
that bridge, although I have often wished that I could see it in daylight. 

After going about half a mile farther, we came upon an old house, badly 
shell-torn, which our guide recognized. Near the house the road forked again. 
The guide told me that we should have came up the road which lay to our 
right, turning sharply, and proceeding along the road which lay directly 
ahead of us. We were then within a few hundred yards of Richsberg, which 
we reached in a few minutes. 

Upon our arrival at Richsberg, we found that although sixteen men had 
been gassed, all except four had been evacuated by the French. We picked up 
the remaining four and proceeded on the correct road home, which we reached 
without mishap about three-thirty in the morning. 

OUR BASKET BALL TEAM 

After the signing of the armistice, in order to relieve somewhat the mo- 
notony of peace time army life, sports of all kinds were greatly encouraged 
in the American E. F., the First Army Corps being one of the first to start 
this movement. 

Our company was stationed at Montigny La Resle, which was about 20 
kilometers from Tonnere, at that time First Corps Headquarters. On Feb- 

47 



ruary 5th we received notice from Corps Headquarters that a series of basket- 
ball games would be played, to pick a team from the Corps Troops, to represent 
that body as a whole in the coming championship games. The following or- 
ganizations were at that time serving as Corps Troops of the First Corps ; 
Headquarters Troop, First Army Corps, 405 Telegraph Battalion, 114th En- 
gineers, 53 Pioneer Infantry, and the First Corps Sanitary Train. The First 
Corps Sanitary Train consisted of Headquarters Company, 161st Ambulance 
Company and 161st Field Hospital. 

The first game was to be played on February 10th at Tonnerre between 
the First Corps Sanitary Train and the 405th Telegraph Battalion. The ath- 
letic Director of the Train announced that all men who wanted to try out for 
the team would be taken to Tonnerre on the 8th for a trial. There were four- 
teen men who reported from Ambulance Co. 161. On the morning of the 8th 
two ambulances carried the men to Tonnerre for a practice game and the fol- 
lowing men were picked for the basket-ball Squad: "Dutch" Houser, John 
Flanagan, Ray Tipper, "Mac" Houser, "Walt" Smith, "Art" Best, "Jim" 
Power, "Johnnie" Kennelly, and "Eli" Hart. 

Three ambulances loaded with "rooters" accompanied the team to Ton- 
nerre. The result of this game was a score of 42 to 21 in our favor. This gave 
the boys such life that they won the rest of the games from the Corps Troops 
by the following scores : 

February 13th— Amb. Co. 161, 48; Hqs. Troop, 18. 
February 16th — Amb. Co. 161, 34; 114 Engineers, 0. 
February 20th— Amb. Co. 161, 54; 53 Pioneer Inf., 8. 
February 22nd— Amb. Co. 161, 22 ; Hqs. Troop, 6. 
The games were all played at Tonnerre. 

On February 23rd we received orders to send seven men to report to 
Corps Athletic Officer at Tonnerre, as seven men from each organization of 
the Corps Troops were going into training for one week, and twelve men were 
to be picked from the bunch to be the basket-ball team for the Corps Troops. 
We sent the following eight men: "Dutch" Houser, John Flanagan, "Ray" 
Tipper, "Mac" Houser, "Walt" Smith, "Art" Best, "Jim" Power, and "John- 
nie" Kennelly. They went to Tonnerre on the 24th and went into training. 
Just a few words regarding teams that these men, who were picked from the 
Corps Troops, would have to play against. There was a team from the 36th 
Division, which was picked from 22,000 men and a 78th Division team picked 
from about 23,000 men, while the 80th Division had about 24,000 men from 
which to draw their material for a team. 

When the time came for the first game of the series to be played, which 
was March 1st, between the 36th Division and the First Corps Troops, there 
were twelve men on the basket ball squad of the First Corps, eight of which 
were from Ambulance Co. 161, and "Dutch" Houser was captain of the team. 
The game was played at Tonnerre and the score was 40 to 15 in favor of the 
Corps Troops. In the course of the series the team played the following games : 

March 3d (at Tonnerre)— 78th Division, 27; First Corps, 26. 
March 5th (Montbark)— First Corps, 2; 80th Division, 0. 
March 7th (at Flogny) — First Corps, 44; 36th Division, 21. 

48 



March 11th (at Semur)— 78th Division, 40; First Corps, 24. 
March 13th (at Tonnerre)— First Corps, 50; 80th Division, 18. 
The total points run up by our team was 346 and the total points against 
our team were 159. 



«• <r * 



"WHEN THE BOYS COME HOME" 

The cannon's smoke no longer obscures the bright rays of the sun. 
The starry flag is floating o'er the fields by valor won ; 
There's joy among the soldiers and upon the briny blue, 
The boys are dreaming of their homes and peaceful life anew. 

There's singing in the households from which the loved ones 

went away, 
Defending right and country, in the strife of battle's fray, 
The fears of war are over, tears at night no longer flow, 
The smiles of hope and pleasure on their Mothers' faces glow. 

Afar is heard the music of the trumpet and the drum, 
The swords and rifles glisten as the heroes nearer come. 
Fair hands will wave a welcome, storms of cheers will glorify, 
As the multitude pays tribute to the soldiers marching by. 

The pale-faced youths who answered when they heard the sum- 
mons stern, 
As bronzed and seasoned soldiers to their loved ones they return. 
The eyes of love will know them as they come with martial stride, 
The hearts of those they left behind will welcome them with pride. 

The Allied arms of freedom are victorious o'er their foes, 
The starry flag triumphant with a brighter luster glows, 
The farmer tills the soil again and sows the fertile seeds; 
The victory of peace is won, the world no longer bleeds. 

— FRANK W. KALB. 



49 



GENERAL ORDERS 
No. 2 



HEADQUARTERS, 2ND N. D. INF. 
BISMARCK, N. D., Sept. 27, 1917 



1. The following Officers of the Second North Dakota Infantry are hereby assigned to dutv 
as follows: 

Lieut. Colonel Thomas H. Tharalson. 

Major Charles F. Mudgett, 1st. Battalion. 

Major Edward C. Gearey, Jr., 2nd. Battalion. 

Major James M. Hanley, 3rd. Battalion. 

Captain H. T. Murphy, Regimental adjutant. 

Captain John W. Rock, Regimental Supply Officer. 

1st. Lieut. Herbert G. Markley, Chaplin. 

1st. Lieut. Ernest R. Orchard, Battalion Adjutant, 2nd. Battalion. 

1st. Lieut. Ronald J. McDonald, Battalion Adjustant, 1st. Battalion. 

1st. Lieut. Frederick G. Neumeier, Bittalion Adjutant, 3rd Battalion. 



NAME 
Henry T. Murphy 
John W. Rock 
Joseph L. Dwire 
Frank E. Wheelon 
Milton P. Graham 
Cecil E. Duncan 
Fred J. Flury 
Welland J. Orchard 
William C. Paulson 



Millard P. Lawson 
Josiah C. Blaisdell 
Charles L. Wheeler 
John S. Cameron 
William C. Goerner 
Charles L. Rouse 
William A. Chalcroft 
Thomas Lennevik 
Arthur W. McLean 
Louis W. Thune 



Frank E. Ross 
Richard M. Still 
Miles F. Kessler 
J. Gordon Turner 
John Konen 
John W. Grant 
Thomas Hesketh 
George Crawford 
Frederick Jj Seeba 
Fred E. Anderson 



Alfred B. Welch 
Ward L. Preston 
Ferris D. Cordner 
Harry Thomas 
George W. Sears 
James E. Huffman 
Bert Weston 
John A. McDonald 
Charles I. Cook 
Richard A. Sprague 



RANK 
Captain 
Captain 

Second Lieutenant 
Major 

First Lieutenant 
First Lieutenant 
First Lieutenant 
Second Lieutenant 
Second Lieutenant 



Captain 

Second Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Captain 

Mrst Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 



Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 



Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

Captain 

First Lieutenant 



Headquarters Company 
Supply Company 
Supply Company 
Sanitary Detachment 
Sanitary Detachment 
Sanitary Detachment 
Machine Gun Company 
Machine Gun Company 
Machine Gun Company 



Company A 
Company A 
Company B 
Company B 
Company B 
Company C 
Company C 
Company D 
Company D 
Company D 



FIRST BATTALION 



Company E 
Company E 
Company E 
Company F 
Company F 
Company G 
Company G 
Company H 
Company H 
Company H 



SECOND BATTALION 



THIRD BATTALION 



Company I 
Company I 
Company I 
Company K 
Company K 
Company K 
Company L 
Company L 
Company M 
Company M 



Comdg. 
Comdg. 

Comdg. 
Ccmdg. 

Comdg. 
Comdg. 

Comdg. 
Comdg. 

Comdg. 

Comdg. 
Comdg. 

Comdg. 

Comdg. 

Comdg. 
Comdg. 



By order of Col. White. 



(Sig.) H. T. Murphy, 
Capt. 2nd N. D. Inf. 
Adjutant. 



50 




SCENES IN CAMP GREENE, CAMP MILLS, AND ON THE OCEAN. 

(1) Camp Green Tent Group, Harry Salzman in the foreground. (2) Cantonment Tent Floors at 
Camp Greene. (3) Captain C. I. Cook and Lt. R. A. Sprague, Co. M. (4) McPhee, Houser and others 
on woodpile at Camp Greene. (5) "Happy Paulson and Lt. C. E. Duncan. (6) Dishwashing at Camp 
Greene. (7) Four of Tuscania's Atlantic convoy. (8) Measles bunch at Camp Mills. (9) Our 
Camp Mills home till Dec. 10, 1917, when picture No. 7 looked good to us. (10) Officers of Ambu- 
lance Co. 164 at Mills. All except Lt. Whitlock. (From left to right). Lt. J. B. Kinne, Lt. M. P. Gra- 
ham, Lt. Wm. E. Kirk, Lt. Wm. C. Lester, Lt. J. Krejewski. 



HISTORICAL 

COMPANY "M" 

War had been declared! The young manhood of the country was re- 
sponding by enlisting in the different branches of the service. The Golden 
Valley of North Dakota was not found wanting, for many of her best had en- 
listed in the army, navy, or marine corps. Many of her citizens decried the 
fact that "Beach," the hustling young metropolis of the valley, did not have a 
National Guard organization, so that the boys could go through the war to- 
gether. 

Not long after, an opportunity presented itself. A second regiment was 
being organized in the state of North Dakota, so an effort was at once made to 
have the city of Beach represented by a company. Charles I. Cook, Robert A. 
Sprague and E. D. Perry had seen service during the Spanish-American war 
and later in different National Guard organizations, and they became the lead- 
ers in the movement to organize a company in Beach. They were given auth- 
ority to recruit a company on June 28th, 1917. With the cry, "Go through the 
war with your friends," recruits were readily secured and signed up for the 
organization, which later became Company "M" of the "Smashing Second." 

Upon the call of the President for the mobilization of the National Guard, 
Company "M" mobilized in Beach on July 15th, with a strength of seventy-six 
men, some of whom were later discharged because of physical disability. The 
ball park was used for a drill ground, and a large tent was pitched in the ball 
park to house the men the camp was named Camp Reeve after J. P. Reeve, 
a prominent citizen of the Golden Valley. Later a windstorm tore the tent 
down, so the men moved to the opera house. During its stay in Beach the com- 
pany was fed in a restaurant. 

Charles I. Cook and Robert A Sprague had not received their commissions 
at the time of the mobilization of Company "M," so First Lieutenant Vincent 
J. Melarvie of Company "H," 1st N. D. Inf., was detailed to take charge of the 
company. Later he was relieved by Second Lieutenant W. G. Paulson of the 
Machine Gun Company of the Second North Dakota Infantry. However, be- 
fore the company left for its southern training camp, Captain Charles I. Cook 
was put in command, with Lieutenant Robert A. Sprague as First Lieutenant 
and Adam Faris as First Sergeant. 

Company "M," Second North Dakota Infantry, entrained for Camp 
Greene at 7:20 A. M. on the morning of October 1st, and traveled to the North 
Carolina camp on a special train, with other troops of the Second North Dakota 
Regiment. The company at this time had a strength of two officers, one hun- 
dred twenty-two enlisted men and four men attached. The time of arrival at 
Camp Greene was on the morning of October 5th. Captain Cook and Lieuten- 
ant Sprague did not remain with the company long, for in the smashing of the 
"Smashing Second," Company "M" was made the 164th Ambulance Company, 
116th Sanitary Train, 41st Division, and Lieutenant John B. Kinne, a medical 

52 



officer, was put in command. Captain Cook was assigned to 41st Division 
Headquarters, and Lieutenant Sprague was assigned to the 164th Infantry 
(First North Dakota). 

The boys disliked the idea of losing their officers, but they were to later 
iearn that their new commanding officer had sterling qualities of merit. Lieu- 
tenant John B. Kinne, although a resident of the state of Washington, was a 
native of North Dakota, having been born in that state and having received his 
early education there. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he en- 
listed as a private in Company "B," First N. D. Vol. Inf., and went with that 
organization to the Philippines, where he served with distinction. For bravery 
in action at Tarbon Bridge, P. I., on May 6th, 1899, he was awarded the Con- 
gressional Medal of Honor. With his assignment to the 164th Ambulance Com- 
pany, Lieutenant Kinne was again to serve with trooDS from North Dakota. 

It may be interesting to know what happened to the other units of the 
Smashing Second North Dakota regiment. The first battalion, composed of 
Companies A, B, C and D, was assigned to the 164th Infantry. First North 
Dakota, Company "E" became the 116th Trench Morter Battery. Companies 
"F" and "G" became 162nd and 164th Field Hospitals, respectively, of the 116th 
Sanitary Train. Company "H" was assigned to the 147th Machine Gun Bat- 
talion. The companies of the third battalion were made Ambulance companies 
of the 116th Sanitary Train, Company "I" becoming the 161st Ambulance Com- 
pany, Company "K", the 162nd; Company "L," the 163rd, and Company "M" 
the 164th. The Machine Gun Company was assigned to the 148th Machine 
Gun Battalion. The Supply Company was made the Supply Company of the 
116th Engineers' Train, and the band was made the regimental band of the 
116th Engineers. The majority of the personnel of the Headquarters were 
transferred to 116th Headquarters Train and Military Police. 

On October 19th the 116th Sanitary Train took part in the parade and re- 
view of the 41st Division through the streets of Charlotte, N. C, in the interests 
of the Second Liberty Loan. The 164th Ambulance Company, formerly Com- 
pany "M," has the distinction of being the first company in the 41st Division, 
in which every man of the organization bought at least one liberty bond of the 
Second Liberty Loan. 

On October 26th, the 116th Sanitary Train was ordered to entrain for 
Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, and reached Camp Mills on the morning 
of October 29th. 

At Camp Mills the company was organized for duty overseas. Seventeen 
men were transferred to the 164th Infantry (First North Dakota.) Lieuten- 
ants Milton P. Graham, William E. Whitlock, George B. Kirk, Francis J. Kre- 
jewski and William C. Lester were assigned to the company. One of the new 
officers, Lieutenant M. P. Graham, was a North Dakotan. The company was 
filled up to the one hundred fifty-three men required for an animal drawn am- 
bulance company, the majority of the new men coming from a detachment from 
Camp Lewis, Wash. In the meantime it was vigorously drilled by its officers 
and non-commissioned officers. 

The date — December 11th — will long be remembered by the boys of the 
164th Ambulance Company. It was on that day in the cold early hours of the 
morning that they left Camp Mills. Before dawn they were on their way to 

53 



Garden City, where they entrained. At Long Island City a ferry boat was 
boarded, which steamed down the East River, rounding Battery Park and 
sailed up the Hudson River to Pier No. 54, where the men boarded the Tuscania. 
Late in the afternoon the Tuscania weighed anchor and went to Sandy Hook, 
where it was to remain until dark. 

As the mist from the Atlantic was creeping in, screening from view the out- 
lines of the great city, the soldiers on board bade farewell to the Statue of the 
Goddess of Liberty, which was later destined to have a place in their hearts 
second only to the loved ones at home. 

The Tuscania was owned by the Henderson Corporation of Glasgow, Scot- 
land, and was the last of the "Anchor" Line. It was a comparatively new ves- 
sel, having made its maiden trip in the spring of 1914. It was 660 feet long 
and had a displacement of 14,500 tons. There were about 2,500 troops on board, 
besides the crew. The 164th Ambulance men were quartered in Lower "5." 

During the night the Tuscania slipped out of the harbor and the next 
morning found it on a misty sea, with a cold, northeast breeze, into which it was 
headed. All about was a waste of cold, steel-gray water, and there were some 
misgivings, for the transport was traveling alone, without the much-talked-of 
convoy. This uneasiness was somewhat abated when it was learned that the 
convoy was to be formed at Halifax. Upon hearing that a stop was to be made 
at the Canadian port, the men wrote letters of farewell, which were censored, 
and upon the arrival at Halifax were mailed. However, their friends did not 
know of their departure until the port in France was reached, for the letters 
were held pending the safe arrival. 

On the afternoon of December 13th the Tuscania entered the embrace of 
the two great arms, with their snow-clad hills and primeval forests, which form 
the confines of the harbor of Halifax, Nova Scotia. At the convergences of the 
arms and securely nestled at the foot of a hill, surmounted by a fort, is the city 
of Halifax. Naturally the men wanted to visit the city, but no opportunity was 
given to leave the ship, so the two days here were spent in speculations of the 
future and in viewing other transports, the details of the harbor and the unfor- 
tunate city, which so recently had been the victim of a severe catastrophe in 
the form of an explosion, which had wrecked a portion of the city, with much 
loss of life. 

On December 15th, about 2 P. M., the Tuscania lifted anchor, slowly 
steamed out of port, crossed the rough bar, and took its place in line in the con- 
voy of eight ships. The convoy was composed of the six transports "Tuscania," 
"Adriatic," "Cedric," "Northland," "Manchuria" and "Tunisian" and the two 
battle cruisers, "Glaucus" and "Changolia," the latter camouflaged as an oil 
tanker. The next morning the convoy skirted the coast of Newfoundland, and 
then went into the days and nights of submarine preparedness, zig - zagging 
courses and life boat drills. 

Nothing of great interest transpired on the voyage, except that a steamer 
was met bound for the States, which was torpedoed two hours later, with some 
loss of life. Later it was officially repDrted that 103 lives had been lost. 

When the danger zone was entered there was greater vigilance than be- 
fore. The men slept on deck, and as the transports neared the Irish Coast they 
were met by a convoy of British destroyers, which constantly circled around 

54 



them, as they proceeded on their way. The first land was sighted in the early 
morning of December 24th. It proved to be the Isle of Isley. Later in the day 
the rock-bound coast of Scotland could be seen to the left and the Irish coast to 
the right and in the evening the Isle of Man was passed. 

The next morning, while the Christmas chimes were ringing, the Tuscania 
pulled into the harbor of Liverpool. On both banks of the Mersey were crowds 
of people, cheering and waving flags, to whom the Americans on board re- 
sponded with cheer after cheer. However, the men were doomed to eat their 
Christmas dinner on board ship, and it was a very poor dinner. Was hardtack 
and corned willey on the menu, or was it "Anchor" pudding and soup for a 
"change?" 

Debarkation did not take place until late in the afternoon of the next day 
and entrainment for an English Camp was made immediately after leaving 
ship. 

The next morning found the company in Romsey, England, where it de- 
trained and marched to Woodley Camp. It was here that the men first culti- 
vated their great aversion for the "rest camps." The camp itself was clean and 
well situated in the midst of beautiful surroundings. However, the title "Rest 
Camp" was a misnomer. 

On the morning of December 29th, the company entrained for Southhamp- 
ton, where it remained on the pier till 3:30 P. M., when it boarded the "Nir- 



vania." 



The "Nirvania" was a steamer manned by a Hindoo crew, and used as a 
horse and mule transport. For this trip it had 500 horses and mules and 350 
officers and enlisted men on board besides the crew. Filth was in evidence on 
every hand. 

Not only was the ship an extremely dirty one, but the Hindoos on board 
were poor looking specimens of humanity. They offered to sell food to the hungry 
Americans. Their main stock in trade was a pancake, which appeared to be a 
combination of pancake and flatbread, which they kept warm by holding 
against their bare breasts. Needless to say, the business was "nihil." 

The "Nirvania" left the pier at 5 P. M., but dropped anchor in the harbor, 
as it was not considered safe to cross the channel that night. It was not until 
6 P. M. the following day that the "Nirvania" began its trip across the English 
Channel. 

La Harve, France, the port of debarkation, was reached on the following 
morning. It was about the hour of 10:00 A. M. on the 31st day of December, 
1917, that the 164th Ambulance Company stepped on the soil of France. 

At La Harve the company was quartered in British barracks and fed at 
British kitchens and the Americans had many opportunities to mingle and talk 
with British soldiers, some of whom had just returned from the Cambrai of- 
fensive. Here they also first saw German prisoners. 

The company entrained on third class coaches at La Harve on the morning 
of January 2nd and arrived at La Courtine at 4 A. M. on January 4th. The 
men detrained and marched to the cold artillery stables which were to be used 
as quarters. 

55 



At La Courtine the company was given lectures on subjects pertaining to 
the duties of an ambulance company, besides being drilled. As the 41st Divis- 
ion had been made a depot division, orders for replacements began to arrive. 
While at La Courtine the 164th Ambulance Company sent forty-eight enlisted 
men and one officer to the front as replacements, the majority of the men going 
to the First Division. 

Orders to move were received on January 23rd. Late in the afternoon box 
cars (Chevaux 8, Hommes 40) were boarded, and on the following morning St. 
Aignan was reached, where the company detrained. Its billets were in the main 
part of the city, which is about a mile from the depot, and they were in direct con- 
trast to the stables that had been used as quarters at La Courtine. At St. Aignan 
the men first used unoccupied French houses as billets, which were clean and in 
good condition. 

At St. Aignan the sad news was brought to the company of the death of 
Private First Class Harley B. Salzman, who had been sent to the hospital, while 
the company was at La Courtine. This was the first death in the company and 
the men received the news with sincere regret. Harley Salzman was among the 
first to volunteer in Company "M" at Beach, N. D., was a good soldier, and well 
liked by his comrades. 

The company moved by train on January 30th to Selles-sur-Cher, about 
twelve kilometers away, to open and operate a hospital. Here the men were 
very luxuriously quartered in a historic chateau, belonging to Count Harde- 
man, who lived in the most modern of the buildings comprising the chateau. 
Several wards of the hospital were in the second story of a third chateau build- 
ing. The contagious wards were in the two stories of a theater, about two 
blocks away. 

A few days after the arrival at Selles-sur-Cher, it was learned that the 
transport "Tuscania," loaded with American troops, had been torpedoed on Feb- 
ruary 5th, off the Irish coast. It proved of all the more interest to the boys of 
the 164th Ambulance Company, because, as it has been previously mentioned, 
the "Tuscania" was the transport that had carried them across the Atlantic. 

About this time Captain Cook, arrived, in command of a company of cas- 
uals, and was stationed at Selles-sur-Cher. The boys were very glad to see their 
former captain again. 

The company continued furnishing replacements for the front, besides 
operating the hospital. To take the places of the men transferred out new men, 
the majority casuals, came into the organization. These men were trained, and 
in their turn were sent out as replacements. 

On April 17th, the 164th Ambulance Company was ordered to move to 
Thesee and report to the school for Sanitary Troops, First Depot Division, 
for training. Its strength at this time was one officer — Lieutenant Kinne — 
and forty-eight enlisted men. A few days after the arrival at Thesee the offi- 
cer and all of the enlisted men, with the exception of four, were transferred to 
the 161st Ambulance Company. 



56 



64th Ambulance Company Roster 

CAMP MILLS 



1ST. SERGEANT. 
Faris, Adam 

SUPPLY SERGEANT 
Breitenfeldt, William A. 

ACTING MESS 

SERGEANT 

Dickinson, Paul E. 

SERGEANTS 
Caldwell, Edward W. 
Powers, James E. 
Pelkey, Arthur G. 
Wallman, Fred H. 
Hansen, Praley K. 
Jirschele, Joseph W. 
Schell, John F. C. 
Toettcher, Benj. L. H. 
Hatch, Ernest G. 
Hougen, Jesse G. 
Hindman, James R. 

CORPORALS 
Henderson, Lester N. W. 
Lynch, George J. 

COOKS 
Lowry, Raymond 
Mailey, Edward 

PRIVATES, 1st Class 
Camire, Albert S. 
Dalen, Roscoe E. 
Dodge, Frederick W. 

PRIVATES 
Aldridge, Frank 
Anderson, Raymond 
Ashley, H. 

Baber, Marvin E. 
Bechtal, E. T. 
Bengel, George 
Bennett, Frank 
Bigot, Joseph L. 
Blackbourn, Harry D. 
Briggs, Wesley J. 
Brinker, Earl H. 
Bock, Frank G. 

Castellow 
Castle, Alonza G. 
Castle, Clayton C. 
Castle, Harmey L. 
Catron, T. M. 
Chamberlain, Charley C. 
Chase, Earl M. 
Chappell, Harry E. 
Chester, Harry H. 
Clark, Leon E. 
Clipper, Henry E. 



Dickinson, Phillip 

Egan, John L. 
Egan, Matthew J. 
Eide, Palmer L. 
Engene, Ole 
Ernest, Edward A. 

Farnen, James J. 
Faulds, John 
Ferrell, Geo. C. 
Fields, Geo. 
Finkle, Howard L. 
Fisher, Richard 
Flint, W. C. 
Fuller, Fred 

Gibcke, Chas. 

Hallman, George 
Hallman, William 
Hammond, Scott E. 
Hamrin, T. E. 
Hannibal, T. 
Hauge, Emil C. 
Haugen, Levi M. 
Hazelton, Irving J. 
Hayes, R. E. 
Heflin, Harry L. 
Hess, Bernard J. 
Higgins, Kennetn J. 
Hill, Harry L. 
Hillman, Grant A. 
Houck, Jesse E. 
Howden, Harry C. 
Hubble, Harry h. 
Hubing, Charles M. 

James, Elmer 
Jaskola, Vincent 

Kalb, Frank W. 
Kalkman, John H. 
Kean, Charles E. 
Kennedy, Harold 
Kennedy, Thomas L. 
Kennedy, J. R. 
Kieffer, C. B. 
Kirkland, J. R. 
Kuhn, George H. 
Kunze, John 

Larsen, Harold I. 
Larson, Nels A. 
Lehnen, Joseph H. 
Lenertz, Louis A. 
Lenertz, Vincent N. 
Livermore, Charley L 
Love, J. H. 



McClarren, B. M. 
McColeman, Howard J 
McCoy, W. 
McNeice, Paul D. 
Maher, Albert 
Martin, John 
Maraso, Arthur 
Matchette, Lynn 
Matthews, Charles 
Miller, Peter 
Miller, Elmer D. 
Morrison, W. C. 
Moore, Arthur G. 
Murray, Ernest 

Newman, A. E. 
Newton, Wm. A. 
Noyes, Raymond A. 

Olson, Harry 
Overall, Oscar 

Patrick, Wayne 
Pelowski, Frank 
Peterson, Edwin C. 
Peterson, C. A. 
Peterson, Ernest G. 
Pinkham, Ray C. 
Powers, LaVerne F. 
Pruett, Druo 

Reid, P. T. 
Retz, Russell B. 
Ricks, T. L. 
Riley, Hugh 
Riley, L. L. 
Rising, Henry D. 
Root, Clarence E. 

Sattley, W. N. 
Sackmeister, Peter M. 
Salzman, Harley B. 
Schramm, Roy F. 
Showen, Charlie W. 
Spratt, Charles R. 
Stedman, Dan B. 
Stetzer, Albert M. 

Tanner, Geo. R. 
Tetzlaff, O. W. 
Tobias, Leo W. 
Tucker, Floyd E. 

VanBuren, Fred P. 

Waddell, E. B. 
Whitney, Henry G. 
Willis, Otto W. 



57 



COMPANY "I" 

When war was declared in April, 1917, most of those who were so soon 
to meet and offer their best to their mother country were busy about peaceful 
pursuits. Few had ever had military training and to make an effective army 
out of men whose lives had been moulded under a form of government which 
has stood so long for peace, was a task which then appeared impossible. But 
the call was heard and the men responded, the impossible was achieved and 
in one short year we had an army in France which from the first proved them- 
selves the equal of the veteran troops of Europe. 

The border expedition had returned early in the year of 1917. The North 
Dakota troops were at home again. The National Guard organization of our 
State consisted of one regiment only and in view of the magnitude of the 
struggle ahead it was decided that a second regiment be organized. In the real- 
ization of this decision came the birth of our Company. 

Prominent in the organization of the Second Regiment was Captain Al- 
fred B. Welch, who was given permission to recruit a company to be stationed 
at Bismarck, and recruited in, and in the country adjoining, our State capital. 
The Company met for the first time on July 1st with thirty members com- 
posed mostly of men who had campaigned with Captain Welch on the border 
and who knew and admired him as a man and a soldier. By July 10th the 
Company had increased to eighty-three and each day that followed brought 
new men into the organization so that by August 1st "Company I" had slight- 
ly overshot the nuhiber of enlisted men then allowed an Infantry Company. 

The Company was quartered in the Armory and fed at certain cafes 
and restaurants in the city. Drilling continued regularly under Lieutenants 
Preston and Cordner, ably assisted by 1st Sergeant Savage and Drill Sergeant 
Bressler, so when the time came to mobolize, this Company of the "Smashing 
Second" was one of the best drilled units organized. In the meantime all of 
the National Guards had been mustered into the Federal service and we were 
assigned to the 41st Division, known as the "Sunset Division" and composed 
entirely of Western troops. 

Company "I" entrained in the evening of October 1st, 1917, at Bismarck, 
with Charlotte, N. C, as the first objective in our journey, passing through 
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the beautiful mountains of 
Kentucky and Tennessee. We arrived on the morning of October 5th at Camp 
Greene, just outside of the old Southern city of Charlotte, N. C. 

At this point came the event which changed the whole course of our mili- 
tary history. The 41st Division was at this time without a complete Sanitary 
Train and the Second North Dakota was called upon to fill the vacancies. Com- 
pany "I" became "Ambulance Co. 161" of the 116th Sanitary Train and the 
enlisted personnel was reduced to 122 men. Captain Welch and our Lieuten- 

58 



ants were replaced by medical officers. Captain Patrie took command and the 
old Infantry drills were dropped and instead of rifles we were given litters and 
proceeded to learn something of the work of an ambulance company. 

Our stay in Camp Greene although short, was pleasant. The fine old 
Southern spirit of hospitality of the people of Charlotte, who so welcomely 
opened their homes for us, will always remain as one of the most pleasant mem- 
ories of camp life. Everything possible was done to make our stay agree- 
able and many lasting friendships were established between the people here 
and the boys from the West. It was on October 19th that the 41st Division 
made its first formal parade. It was made in the interests of the Second Liber- 
ty Loan drive. The parade was through the streets of Charlotte and was met 
with an enthusiastic reception by the people of the city. 

It was while we were here that innoculations for the prevention of ty- 
phoid fever and vaccinations against small-pox were given. The entire com- 
pany passed before the Medical Examining Board and those who were found 
physically unfit for overseas service were discharged. 

Orders to move were received and on the morning of October 26th, we 
struck camp and that evening entrained and started for Camp Mills, Long 
Island, N. Y. Passing through Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 
we arrived at Mineola, Long Island, on the morning of October 29th and 
marched out to Camp Mills, which was to be our home for some time. We 
passed through and paraded in Raleigh, N. C, and Washington, D. C. 

A rainy spell greeted us on our arrival and we soent a rather uncomfort- 
able period before we completed ditching our tents. Drilling was resumed 
in earnest. A change in our officers was here made. Captain Hackett was put 
in command of the Company, with Capt. McGuire attached, and Lieutenants 
McClellan, Horton, Brunjes, Kintner and Rosin, completed our commissioned 
personnel. On November 14th, seventeen of the boys were transferred to the 
164th Infantry, including our 1st Sergeant Savage and Sergeant Serres; 
also ten Sioux Indian boys from the Standing Rock Reservation. Among these 
was Albert Grass, grandson of Chief John Grass of the Sioux tribes. Chief 
John Grass, who still can be seen on sunny days, seated in front of his home at 
Fort Yates, forms one of the romantic and historic links connecting the his- 
tory of the present time with that of the generation just proceeding. , He 
with Chief Gaul, commanded the Indians in the wars which culminated in the 
battle of the Little Big Horn and was afterwards a valuable factor in persuad- 
ing the tribes to adjust themselves to a more civilized manner of living. Since 
the death, in 1890, of Sitting Bull, John Grass has been sole chief of the Sioux. 
It was with sorrow that the members of the Company learned that Albert 
Grass had been killed at Chateau Thierry. Being the only male descendant 
of Chief Grass, a peculiar situation has arisen in regard to the Sioux chief - 
tancy, which will go to Captain A. B. Welch, our first commanding officer, 
who is the adopted son of John Grass. 

The monotony of camp life at Long Island was relieved by games and 
athletics. A splendid football team was organized in which the Houser broth- 
ers and Ray Tipper made some really spectacular plays. The entire Com- 
pany were given the privilege to visit the great metropolis of New York and 
on Thanksgiving day every member of the organization was invited to dinner 

59 



at the homes of New York families and those of other nearby towns and cities. 
The cordiality shown by the people of the East, like that of the people of North 
Carolina, was very much appreciated and came to us as somewhat of a sur- 
prise, although a very gratifying one. 

The company was filled from a detachment which came from Camp Lewis, 
Washington, and full equipment was issued. The Division began to embark 
for overseas during the last days of November and busy days they were for 
us. The big sleet storm of December 8th practically drove us out of camp, the 
thermometer reaching the low mark of six degrees below zero. Many spent 
the night and the following day, Sunday, with friends in the vicinity of camp. 

The long looked for order to embark came on December 11th and on the 
morning of December 12th we struck camp, for the last time in our own country. 
We entrained at Garden City, went to Long Island City, boarded a large ferry 
boat, went down the East River rounded Battery Park and pulled up the 
Hudson River to the Hoboken piers on the Jersey side. At the gang-plank of 
our transport the final check was made and as we passed up the ship we 
dropped our last messages to our friends and loved ones into a waiting mail 
sack. These letters and cards were to be forwarded to their destination upon 
the safe arrival of our ship on the other side of the Atlantic, thereby getting 
word to those we loved, of our safe arrival, some three weeks sooner than 
could otherwise have been possible. 

"U. S. S. Antigone," destined to be our home for twenty-one days, was a 
converted German tramp steamer, which had been interned during the early 
days of the war and upon the beginning of hostilities between Germany and 
the United States had been cleaned and fitted up as a transport. An item of 
interest relative to this particular ship was the fact that the cylinders had 
been, as was believed by the pro-Germans who did it, ruined by having the 
heads broken in and huge holes cut in the sides. Here again Germany had 
reckoned without Yankee ingenuity. The cylinders were thoroughly restored 
by skillful welding and they stand today, a monument to the skill and re- 
sourcefulness of the American workman. The "Antigone" was a ship of me- 
dium size. The berthing space accommodated about 2500 troops in addition to 
the boat's crew which consisted of about 600 men. We were made fairly 
comfortable, fed twice daily and were given the freedom of the well decks. A 
few hours after going aboard we were towed to a position off Long Island, 
where the anchor was dropped and we stayed for two days, waiting for the 
the other ships which were to form our convoy. On the night of December 
14th we headed out to sea and as the lights of the city and harbor slipped over 
the edge of the world behind us, we bade farewell to our loved land with the 
unspoken prayer in each heart that God would spare our lives and sometime 
when our task was finished, bring us back once more to our native land. Next 
morning found us well out to sea with an unknown future before us. 

In the convoy were six transports, the "Susquehanna," "Pres. Lincoln," 
"Covington," "Pocahontas," "De Kalb," and "Antigone." The convoy was 
guarded by the battle cruiser "North Carolina" until the danger zone was 
reached, where we were met by a small fleet of destroyers. The "Pres. Lin- 
coln" and "Covington" were later sunk by submarines while returning home. 
Regular "abandon ship" drills were given and one day of the journey was 
given to target practice by the gun crews of the several ships. 

60 



Christmas day was spent at sea and was celebrated by a turkey dinner, 
and as we were nearing the end of our voyage by sea and most of those who 
had been seasick had recovered, the occasion was a merry one. On December 
27th, at 11 :00 A. M., we were fired upon by a German submarine. Two tor- 
pedoes were shot at us, which luckily missed their mark. The submarine was 
engaged and sunk by a plucky little destroyer and it was during the excite- 
ment of the battle that the joyous cry "Land!" arose. Belle Isle, off the 
western coast of France, crept up out of the sea and that night we dropped 
anchor in the harbor of St. Nazaire. 

It was while we were lying at anchor in the harbor that our first casual- 
ty occurred. Corporal Fred M. Grube, who had not been well during the 
entire trip, grew rapidly worse the last days of our journey and on December 
31st was taken ashore and placed in a hospital where he died a few hours later 
of pneumonia and was laid to rest in the little old churchyard of St. Nazaire. 
He was a good and faithful soldier and no higher praise could be given than 
this simple statement. 

It was not until the morning of January 2nd that we left the ship and 
in the gray light of the winter morning we marched down the crooked streets 
of the old French seaport and boarded a troop train. Following the Loire 
river to the historic old city of Nantez, we turned south and arrived in our 
first camp in France. 

Camp La Courtine proved cold and uninviting, possibly due more to the 
fact that here the first reactions from the excitement of our journey took 
place, than to any actual discomforts which we were obliged to undergo. Here 
we were, unacquainted with the language or the customs of the people we 
had come to help, and it must be confessed, homesick. So there is little wonder 
that this place holds few pleasant memories. In addition we learned shortly 
after our arrival, that the 41st Division was destined to become a replace- 
ment rather than a combat division. In view of the fact that this was the 
fifth division to arrive in France, the organization of the First Army Corps, 
which was to consist of four combat divisions and one replacement division, 
was completed. 

Drilling was resumed and periods were devoted to lectures by the medical 
officers on subjects fitted to the training of sanitary troops. The rudiments of 
physiology, anatomy and hygiene were covered and first aid training and in- 
structions in handling and carrying of the sick and wounded were given. No 
drill ground was available so hiking in the Cruse hills was a daily occurrence. 
Two replacement demands were made here and we lost forty men. We were 
quartered in a Cavalry stable, which, earlier in 1917, had been used by Rus- 
sian troops. It was not long after taking up quarters in this place that we 
were able to supplement our shortage of books and daily papers by reading our 
shirts. Exciting tales indeed, some of them told and it was no uncommon 
sight to see several men gathered about one small candle, carefullv scanning 
each seam and wrinkle. The performance, however, lacked the finesse and 
dexterity which characterized similar performances during the latter months 
of the war. 

On January 23rd we moved again, this time in the much advertised 
French box cars. As a method of torture, riding several hundred kilometers 

61 




IN FRANCE 
(1) Buglers 1st Corps Trainiing School for Sanitary Troops, Thesee. (2) Lt. Graham before 
chateau at Selles-sur-Cher. (3) Sgts. Jess Haugen and John Schell equipped for battle (gas elert) in 
Medical Department. (4) Sgt. E. Hatch and George Kuhn in Selles-sur-Cher. (5) April of 1918 finds 
remains of Ambulance Co. 164 lined up at Selles-sur-Cher just before going to Thesee for intensive train- 
ing. (6) Adam Faris, "The Top," at Selles-sur-Cher. (7) Stone cliff with wine cellars at Thesee. 
(8) A "Poilu." (9) Remains of one of Caesar's wine storehouses, Thesee. (10) Retreat. Our Company 
and Field Hospital 161, at Thesee. (11) Ambulance Co. 161 off for Bar-sur-Aube. 



in one of them would have satisfied even Nero, whose opinion on such matters 
has always been considered the last word in devilish ingenuity. The French 
government, for some unknown reason, graded these cars as holding 8 horses 
or 40 men and each car is so labeled. Eight horses they might possibly hold, 
were they tightly pressed and neatly piled in cans, but forty men from the 
prairies of the West, never! After 32 men had crowded into a car, even the 
French transportation officer decided that the car was full. To sit down was 
impossible and when our strained muscles refused to longer support us, we 
formed layers somewhat similar to the shingles of a house, one layer lying 
on the feet of the next. Thus we managed to live through to our next stop 
which proved to be the picturesque and really beautiful city of St. Aignan. 

A dense fog hid the lovely valley of the Cher as we stumbled half frozen 
and numb from our cramped positions so long sustained. Gloomy enough the 
depot and railroad yards looked, and we little thought that we would really 
grow to love this part of France and that it would become to us more like home 
than any other part of this beautiful country. Here we were for the first time 
billeted in French homes. Owing to the conditions brought about by the war, 
many houses in every town were vacant and these were turned over for use 
as billets. Sometimes the remnants of a French family would occupy the lower 
floor and the upper court would be used as sleeping quarters for soldiers. We 
were fortunate in drawing good clean quarters and as the process of adjust- 
ment to our new surroundings began to be felt, we straightaway remembered 
that we were in "Sunny France" and things looked brighter. Our training as 
an ambulance company went on. Sunny days found us seated about an old 
bridge not far from our billets, taking notes of lectures by the officers or 
marching along the narrow and crooked streets of the old town, toward the 
drill ground across the river. 

Our old First Sergeant Bressler left the Company at this time with four 
men, and Sergeant McPhee was put in charge of the Company as top. The 
Company stayed at St. Aignan only one week when orders came to go to Mon- 
trichard, another small city some 18 kilometers distant to take charge of a 
camp infirmary there. 

Montrichard is located about 30 kilometers south of the old city of Tours 
where the waters of the Cher join those of the Loire. This region is known 
as the Garden of France and the fertile valley is certainly worthy of the name. 
We reached Montrichard January 30th and were assigned good quarters in 
an old hotel in the central part of town. The camp hospital, which previous to 
our coming had been run by an order of the Catholic Sisters, who occupied a 
convent in the building opposite the hospital, was now handed over to us and 
the sick from the camps in and adjacent to Montrichard were sent to us for 
care and treatment. An epidemic of mumps made it necessary to enlarge our 
hospital and several billets in the neighborhood were fitted up as wards. 

Several changes in our Company were here made. Captain McGuire left 
for school at Goundrecourt and the command was assumed by Lieutenant Mc- 
Clellen. The enlisted personnel was increased and drilling and lectures con- 
tinued. Our organization was being used as a training battalion which in ad- 
dition to our duties in the infirmary and the sanitary work of the town, this 
work having been turned over to us, kept us very busy. 



The days slipped by rapidly and spring was soon at hand. We became 
acquainted with many of the French inhabitants and by this time had learned 
to convey some of our ideas to these people by a combination of the sign lan- 
guage and our few words of broken French ably assisted by the ever present 
dictionary. We found the French people very kind and after we had learned 
their ways we found them to be as considerate of our welfare as even our home 
folks. Our mail came regularly during these weeks, the average time neces- 
sary for a letter to reach us from home being about four weeks. 

March 8th the company was ordered to go to Noyers, not far from St. 
Aignan, to build a camp hospital. Leaving sufficient men to operate the infir- 
mary and the detail in charge of the sanitation of the town, the rest of the com- 
pany marched to Noyers, a distance of about twenty kilometers and were 
again billeted comfortably. Our work here consisted in assembling the already 
prepared sections of the fifteen buildings which were to constitute camp hos- 
pital No. 26. The work was hard, but as spring was coming and the trees were 
leafing out it was cheerfully done. 

The company lost thirty-seven men and four non-commissioned officers 
by transfer on March 16th. The following week twenty more men left for the 
sanitary school at Thesee, but work on the hospital still went on. In the mean- 
time we had received orders from headquarters stating that the men we had 
left at Montrichard were no longer members of our company but were now an 
independent organization, known as Camp Infirmary No. 2. 

The low water mark of the company, relative to members, was reached at 
this time, the enlisted personnel now consisting of only forty men. On April 
20th we left for Thesee to attend Sanitary School at that place and be again 
organized into an active ambulance company preparatory to leaving for the 
front. 

Thesee is a typical little French town midway between St. Aignan and 
Montrichard. The chief feature of the village is the beautiful chateau and 
grounds, which was owned and occupied before the war by a French count and 
since then had remained unoccupied until it was given over to the American 
forces to be used as a school for Sanitary Troops and incidently to be nick- 
named 'The West Point of France" by the boys. Here military discipline 
was rigidly enforced. Personal inspections were made daily and all formations, 
especially retreat, were formally observed. The forenoons were devoted to 
lectures and every phase of the work which would fall to the lot of an ambul- 
ance company was thoroughly covered. The afternoons were filled with drill- 
ing in formations and in the use of that faithful friend, the gas mask, which 
from then on during the rest of the war was to be constantly at our side. Each 
man was sent through the gas chambers in order to test the mask and his ability 
to breathe through it. 

It was at Thesee that we again met Ambulance Company 164, also origin- 
ally members of the Second North Dakota Regiment and having military ex- 
perience somewhat similar to our own. A detailed account of this organization 
from the time of its origin until they also entered the Sanitary School at Thesee 
precedes this. 



64 



AMBULANCE COMPANY "161" 

A few days after the arrival of Ambulance Companies 161 and 164 at 
the Thesee Sanitary School, orders were received uniting the two companies as 
the 161st Ambulance Company. Therefore from now on until the end of the 
war the history of one company is also a history of the other. 

The union was a successful one and the two organizations merged without 
friction. The number of enlisted men was increased from the school to the 
regulation strength of an ambulance company (122 men) and from this time 
until the end of the war remained as a permanent organization, the personnel, 
with a few exceptions, remaining intact. 

Lieutenant John B. Kinne, formerly in charge of Ambulance Company 
164, took command of the reorganized company. Lieutenants Milton P. Gra- 
ham and W. E. Whitlock, also from the old 164th Ambulance Company, com- 
pleted our list of commissioned officers. Adam Faris was made First Ser- 
geant; Donald McPhee, Transportation Sergeant; John Kennelly, Gas N. C. 0., 
and Ralph Hansen, Supply Sergeant. Our kitchen, which had always been a 
source of pride and pleasure to the company and rated by authoritative parties 
as the best kitchen in the A. E. F., was put in under the charge of Marion C. 
Houser as Mess Sergeant, with Cooks Charles Nejedly and Dan Girvan in 
charge of operations. Eight ambulances were issued to the company. Drivers 
were selected and Fred Arndt was made mechanic. 

All details of the organization were completed, when on May 9th we en- 
trained at Thesee and started on our journey to the front. The ambulances, 
which were to make the trip overland, had started on their journey the prev- 
ious day. The trip was most pleasant and comfortable one we had taken. The 
spring sun was warm and the trees and hedges were in full leaf. At Noyers 
we had the pleasure of greeting our first commanding officer, Captain Welch, 
who shook hands with the boys and wished us success in our work at the front. 
Captain Welch was then in charge of a remount station near Selles-sur-Cher. 

Our destination was to be that part of the fighting line known generally 
as the Vosges sector and formed the southeastern part of the fighting line. 
Alsace and Lorraine bordered this front. The Fifth Division, to which we were 
now attached, were then at Bar-sur-Aube, not far from Chaumont, General 
Pershing's Headquarters, and about 50 kilometers from the fighting line. 
Here we stopped after a pleasant trip which had taken us through the historic 
towns of Vierzon, Troyes and Orleans. At Bar-sur-Aube we were quartered in 
a hospital very similar to the one we had built at Noyers. Lieutenant Graham 
was sent on D. S. to the 14th Machine Gun Company, where he remained until 
we left Bar-sur-Aube. A small detail was sent to the French militarv hosnital 
in the town to help care for the American soldiers who were sent there from the 
various camps in the vicinitv. The company spent the time in making roads 
and driveways through the hospital grounds. 

Leaving Bar-sur-Aube May 31st, we went by train to Corcieux, a little 
village in the heart of the Vosges mountains and about 10 kilometers behind the 
lines. Here we heard for the first time the booming of artillery and snw the 

65 




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flashes of the high explosive shells. These sounds and sights grew familiar to 
us as time went on, for from this time to the end of the war we were never out 
of hearing of the hig guns. 

At this time the sanitary train belonging to the Fifth Division was still 
in camp in the States, and it was now doubtful if they would be sent across, so 
tne intention of the division officers w?s to form a new Sanitary Train using 
the 161st Field Hospital and our Ambulance Company as skeletons for the new 
train and fill the companies with casuals from the school at Thesee. Following 
this intention a detail from both companies was selected and a new organiza- 
tion was made. It was to be an animal drawn ambulance comuany and was 
put in command of Lieutenant Whitlock. The arrival of the Fifth Division 
Sanitary Tram, however, changed this plan and Lieutenant Whitlock and our 
men rejoined the company later at Fraize. 

After spending a few davs at Corcieux we marched to Fraize, about 11 kil- 
ometers north and east, which brought us to about six kilometers or about three 
and a half miles from the trenches and within easy range of the German artil- 
lery, as we were afterwards to learn. 

Here our work as an ambulance company began in earnest. Our am- 
bulances now numbered eighteen, a detail having gone from Corcieux to 
Langres for extra cars. These cars were sent out on duty with different regi- 
ments, only a few being on duty with the company. Dressing station parties 
and litter bearers were sent out to work in Battalion and Regimental aid sta- 
tions. (It will be impossible in this place to record the adventures or more 
than mention these details. Their experiences will be found much more interest- 
ing and real as told by members of these parties in another part of this volume.) 

The Vosges sector had been used during the greater part of the war by 
both Germans and the French troops as a sort of rest area. The entrance of 
Americans into the war changed these conditions somewhat. The sector now, 
besides being a rest sector for the French troops, was also a training sector for 
the boys in 0. D. The inevitable result came, for the Yanks were unable to 
quite grasp the fact that they could get militarv training without trying out 
some of their new guns. This came as a painful surprise to the Huns in this 
sector, who replied in kind and soon it was anything but a quiet sector. While 
here we were under command of the French army authorities. 

The town of Fraize was shelled several times during our stay and the hos- 
pital, where the company was Quartered, received its share of missies, but com- 
paratively little damage was done. Aerial battles here were of almost hourly 
occurrence and became so common an affair that the onlv attention naid to them 
was to keen out of the wav of fall i no- shpll fragments. To the casual observer it 
seemed that few scores were made by the anti-aircraft guns compared to the 
enormous amount of ammunition used. However, even if few hits were made 
the barrage prevented the enemy from penetrating far over our line and there- 
by getting more information of our positions and moving troops. It must be 
admitted that Germanv in preparing for this was thorough in her methods. 
Experience developed the fact that her maps and charts of France were just 
as complete and correct as those of the French. The elevation of every road 
and position was known, so it was an easy matter for German artillery men to 
shell any particular place or road. An instance of this kind will suffice to illus- 

67 




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trate this point. A machine gun battalion was marching toward the front to 
take their Dosition in the trenches at this place for the first time. They were 
observed by a German aircraft, who, it is supposed, reported their formation 
and position to the German artillery, who, allowing accurately for the time and 
movement of the column, were able by their exact knowledge of the country, to 
drop shells in the very midst of the marching men. Heavy casualties resulted 
and our ambulances were called out in force to transport the wounded and 
gassed men. 

The fighting line in the Vosges sector conformed very closely to the old 
border of Alsace Lorraine with a few indentations here and there, which ex- 
tended for a short distance over the border. Our divisions being the first 
Americans to occupy this sector, had the distinction of being the first American 
troops to actually set foot on German soil. 

It came as a surprise to us to find civilians living in apparent security so 
close to the lines. We found there little children of four years and under who 
had been born within sound of the cannon fire and who had heard every hour 
of their lives the rumble of "les cannons." The only explanation possible to 
obtain was the extreme tenacity of the provincial French to remain undis- 
turbed in possession of the place that has been theirs through generations. 
When it became necessary to evacuate a French village on account of the ap- 
proach of the enemy, great difficulty was experienced in persuading the inhab- 
itants, especially the older people, to leave their homes. The security, however, 
was only apparent and casualties were frequent among the inhabitants. Each 
house was provided with a well barracaded shelter or "cave du bombardment," 
where the family and those passing by would run for shelter when shelling of 
the town began. The nervous strain was great and was evidenced by haggard 
faces and the lurking terror which lay in the eyes of the women and children, so 
different from the natural care-free spontaneity of the trench nature. 

On July 5th, the division being relieved for a rest, our company was re- 
assemoled and went back a few miles to Arches for a short rest. 

On July 14th, the national holiday of France, the company was given the 
privilege of visiting Epinal for the ceieoration, and, being the first opportunity 
we had had to observe the customs of the people on such an occasion, the day 
was one that will be long remembered. The advance by the enemy on Paris at 
this time was at its height of success, for it will be remembered that four days 
later, July 18th, the tide turned with the American victories at Chateau Thiery. 
it was on account of unusual military activity that on this date the streets of 
Epinal were thronged with the representatives from the armies of every Allied 
country, and, with addition of the Colonial troops of England and France, the 
scene was an impressive one. 

Early on the morning of July 15th we loaded our camp equipment and 
started back to the front. This time our destination was Raon l'Etape, another 
mountain town about eight kilometers from the line. Our road to this place led 
us through the famous Blenot woods, the scene of some of the fiercest fighting 
of the year 1914, when the Germans advanced as far as Ramblervillers. In 
these woods, their graves marking the spot where they fell, lies some 40,000 of 
the bravest and best of French manhood and of the flower of the French army. 
Their graves line the road for miles and as far as the eye can see through the 

69 



trees on either side, rose here and there crosses which mark the resting place of 
men who willingly gave their lives for something they love far better. Loving 
hands have erected a beautiful monument to the memory of these "Alpine 
Chaussers." It stands on the summit of the mountain overlooking the beautiful 
valley in which lies the little city of Raon l'Etape. 

Moving, since we were issued our transportation, was a simple and easy 
matter. The ambulances carried not only our field equipment, but the men as 
well. The kitchen truck was so loaded that the essentials of a meal were easily 
secured and when mealtime overtook us on the road only a few minutes were 
required to produce a fairly complete dinner. 

Raon l'Etape, once a prosperous little city, we found partly in ruins. It 
had been occupied for about three months, in 1914, by the Germans and when 
they were later obliged to withdraw, every building of any public character 
whatever was deliberately destroyed. The French mountain people, whose 
first characteristic is their love of home, had returned and taken up their life 
among the ruins. Here we found them with their little stores and shops, 
some of them in buildings that had only a corner or one side blown away and 
the apertures closed by piling up the debris of rocks and masonery, living in 
hopes of better times ahead. 

Our quarters here, although not intended for cold or inclement weather 
were well suited for summer use. The open space between the boards allowed 
splendid ventilation and gave us ample light as well. The good tile roof pro- 
tected us from the rain, so we were quite comfortable. 

From here, as before, dressing station parties were sent out to the differ- 
ent posts and stations in the vicinity. A detachment of our ambulances was 
stationed at St. Die, about 16 kilometers from Raon, in charge of Lieutenant 
Whitlock, where sick and wounded were carried from the front lines to the 
hospitals there, for treatment and later evacuated to Bruyeres and Rambler- 
villers. Gassed patients were evacuated to Baccarat. 

Pleasant memories will ever be associated in our minds with the little 
town of Raon, for here we came for rest and recreation during the several 
months we were stationed on this sector. We grew to know and admire the 
people of the place. Who among us will ever forget the old bridge, blown up by 
the Huns, but temporarily repaired, under which we used to gather for lectures 
and gas drills, or the pleasant swimming pool just above it, where we spent so 
many refreshing hours, splashing about in the cool mountain stream. The 
French children, too, who gathered about us on pleasant summer evenings, in 
the small courtyard in front of our billet, will always be remembered. And 
little Eugenie, who afterwards wrote such quaint letters, in one of which she 
informed us that, "After your depart came American soldiers of the division of 
the cat." She referred to the 81st division, who took for the insigna of their 
division the wild cat and a small chevron representing this animal was worn 
on the left shoulder of each member. Nor would the tale be complete without 
mentioning Fritzie, the little fellow who showed up so regularity at meal times, 
with his can and spoon, and who had swelled visibly by the time we left the 
place. 

Raon was also used by the French as a sort of rest camp and many pleas- 
ant evenings were spent in the square, listening to the military bands of the 

70 



French and later of the Americans. One band especially, a colored band belong- 
ing to the 368th Infantry of the 92nd Division, created a sensation in the town 
among the civilian population as well as among the soldiers. All the old south- 
ern melodies we loved and which only colored men can do justice to were played 
and frequently the music would die down and the rich baritone voice of the 
drum major would be heard, singing some old time favorite song and the chorus 
would be swelled by the rich harmony of the voices of the others. They fairly 
danced as they marched to the alluring measures of some ragtime tune and the 
old story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin held a new significance after we watched 
the actual frenzy with which the children followed closely at the heels of the 
musicians. 

The sad chapter of our history must here follow, and in order to fully 
understand the occurrence, a short account must be given of the events that led 
to the sad affair. A few kilometers to the north and east of St. Die lies the 
little village of Frapelle, which had been since the beginning of the war in the 
hands of the Germans and formed an awkward salient in the line. To reduce 
this salient became the object of the American commanders shortly after en- 
tering this sector. Plans were therefore perfected and on August 15th the po- 
sition was stormed and afterwards fell. Owing to the nature of the country, 
the advance was costly, and, as the location was in a cup-like valley, gas at- 
tacks were particularily severe. On August 21st our company was called upon 
to furnish a detail to relieve medical detachments who had been on duty since 
the attack began. The detail of 35 men arrived at the dressing station just 
outside of the village and were waiting to be assigned to duty, when a shell 
landed in their midst, killing three instantly and wounding two others, one of 
whom died on the way to the hospital. The rest of the detachment found shelter 
in dugouts and in the nearby trenches and there followed some thirty minutes of 
severe bombardment of our positions. Here again was shown the exactness of 
the knowledge of the country held by the Germans. Our small detachment was 
no doubt sighted by the enemy airmen and reported, for there was no German 
artillery positions in the direction from which shells came closer than 10 or 
12 kilometers. 

Lieutenant Kinne came that night and took the bodies of our comrades to 
St. Die, where they were buried next day with military honors. All members 
of the company, who were not absent on detail, were present and all was done 
that could be done to honor our comrades who had made the supreme sacrifice. 

On August 16th our company was transferred from the Fifth Division, 
which was called to one of the sectors in the northern part of the American 
front, to the 92nd Division, which was then coming to the Vosges sector for 
training. The 92nd was a colored division and while we remained with them 
we did the ambulance work for the entire division. A detail from our com- 
pany was sent to the hospital at St. Die, and dressing station details were 
sent to the hospital at St. Die, and dressing station details were again sent to 
the various places. 

From here the first furloughs were granted and early in September 
eleven of the boys started joyfully southward for a week's stay at Aix-les- 
Bains, a famous watering place and summer resort in the Savoie country, not 
far from the Swiss and Italian borders. It was a splendid trip and fully enjoyed 
by those who were fortunate enough to go. 

71 



With moving orders for the 92nd Division, came moving orders for us, 
and a dispute arose here between the French authorities and the incoming 81st 
Division on one side and the 92nd Division on the other. The 81st were without 
transportation and wanted us to remain with them as we knew the sector thor- 
oughly and our work being highly appreciated by the French military auth- 
orities, they also wished us to remain in this sector. After several days of dis- 
pute it was finally decided that we remain with the 92nd until they received 
their ambulances. On September 22nd we left the pleasant little city of Raon, 
with lively regrets, not only on our part, but on the part of the people as well. 

Our journey took us to the south of Toul and Nancy, through Bar-le-Duc, 
Commercy and Triacourt, where we spent a day hidden in the woods, and that 
night proceeded to a place known as Huzzard Farm, not far from Verdun, and 
in the heart of the Argonne forest. We arrived at this place on the morning 
of September 25th, and were held in reserve during the first few days of the 
beginning of the famous Argonne drive. The terrible barrage put over by the 
French and American artillery at this place on September 26th-27th was ac- 
cepted as the most terrible in history and will never be forgotten by those who 
heard and witnessed it. 

September 30th we went a few kilometers west to St. Menehould, where 
the transportation section only were called out. Driving in this sector was ex- 
tremely difficult owing to the fact of the terrific effect of the artillery fire on 
the roads. However, good work was done and too much credit cannot be given 
to the boys at the wheel, for during the many months at the front, not once 
was a trip abandoned or the object of the trip not attained. 

The 92nd Division was ordered to the "Toul Sector" and on October 4th we 
were again on the move. Going out we stopped for two days' rest at Passavant, 
a little village near the Marne. Continuing on our journey we followed the 
Marne river where that gallant stand was made early in the year and passed 
through St. Mihiel and Toul and camped in the woods near Jaillon. Here we 
stayed for a week, awaiting orders, and, owing to the fact that no fires were 
allowed after dark and the weather continuing to be rainy and cold, we were 
far from comfortable. 

The morning of October 10th found us again on the move and our destina- 
tion this time was Millery, a little town on the Moselle river, about midway 
between Nancy and the German town of Metz. A few miles down the river lay 
the once beautiful town of Pont au Mousson, but now almost entirely destroyed. 
It was from this place that most of the evacuation was done. The trenches at 
this time lay about one and a half kilometers from the center of the town. Pont 
au Mousson was subject to shell fire and air raids, for the Hun, on his way to 
Nancy and Toul, would often lighten his load of explosives by a few bombs di- 
rected at some part of the town, or moving trucks or ambulances. The infirm- 
ary was located in the cellar of one of the large buildings and escaped all bom- 
bardments. 

From a hill near our camp at Millery, Metz could be seen and several other 
towns of lesser importance. 

Several cases of Spanish Influenza made their appearance in the company 
and the boys were taken to the field hospital at that place for care and treat- 
ment. Twenty-one members of the company were here given leaves and took 
a week's furlough in the Savoie area. 

72 




IN THE BIG ARGONNE DRIVE 
(1) Kitchen and 'chow wagon camaflouged just west of Clermont at Huzzard Farm, Argonne for- 
est. (2) Ambulance camaflouged awaiting call at Huzzard Farm. (3) Battle graves are dug just 
where the soldiers fall — French and American. (4) On the road from Argonne to Toul sector. Lt. 
Whitlock, Transportation Officer, in front of Ambulance. (5) At Passavant awaiting orders (before 4). 
(6) A captured German dugout. (7) Sebastapool— Evacuation Hospital No. 1. (8) Ambulance Co. 
161 Dressing Station, Thenorgues, Argonne. (9) Results of a well directed German shell. (10) Sgt. 
Hansen getting a few souvenirs. (11) Kennelly and Wassel in front of a German Infirmary, Argonne 
drive. (12) Sgt. Kennelly on one of the German "Big Boys." (13) Our cooks— Jackman, Scotty and, 
Charlie. 



The 92nd Division here received their transportation and we were re- 
lieved from duty with them and were transferred to the Second Army and 
were assigned to duty at Evacuation Hospital No. 1. This hospital is located 
just out of Toul. Here we went on October 29th and met with pleasure a num- 
ber of our old men who were transferred to Evacuation Ambulance No. 1 at 
La Courtine and had been at this place since that time. Here it was discovered 
that we rightfully belonged not to the Second Army, but to the First Army 
Corps of the First Army and were assigned for duty as Corps Troops with 
them. After spending a few days in rest and reorganization we started joy- 
fully on our way — this time to take a part in the famous drive on the Meuse. 

The destruction of the cities and towns on other parts of the front, which 
we had seen, were as nothing compared to the havoc wrought in the wake of 
the drive on the Meuse. Towns were leveled to the ground, others had corners 
or parts of walls standing, which from a distance looked more like a cemetery 
than a village. While at Apremont news was received that the ^eace convoy had 
crossed the lines to treat with Marshall Foch, and quite a demonstration was 
made, much greater indeed than any subsequent ones when the armistice was 
actually signed. An interesting f eatuj e of this place was the quarters which 
had been occupied by the Germans troops since 1914. The camps were elabor- 
ate and showed signs of considerable ingenuity in devising articles for comfort 
and ornament, such as arm chairs, beds, cupboards and many articles carved 
out of wood. A remarkable camp had been made near Grand Pre ; on the north 
side of a hill. Eight rows of terraced streets lined the hillside, built up of small 
wooden buildings, each leading to dugouts back into the hill. The hill was prac- 
tically undermined with underground rooms, which were arranged comfortably 
and electric lighted. At the top of the hill was a cemetery in which were buried 
German soldiers. The wooden crosses which marked the graves of the fallen, 
some of which were artistically hand carved, bore dates ranging from the year 
1914 to within a few weeks of our arrival at that place. 

The pleasure and interest in visiting these places was spoiled by the pro- 
pensity of the retreating Germans to set traps for the curious and unwary. 
Often innocent looking objects, such as canes, guns, books and many other ob- 
jects so prized by the American soldiers as souvenirs were attached to bombs. 
A story is told in this connection of a piano which was left in one of the rooms 
evidently used by the German soldieis as a recreation room. To a certain 
key of this piano was attached the connecting wire of a bomb. The explosion 
following the touching of this key was fatal to the musician. A few instances 
of this kind occurring in our own vicinity, luckily none happening in our own 
Company, increased our caution and every object was' looked upon with sus- 
picion. The procedure of one of our Company, who wished to secure a German 
pack as a souvenir, is illustrative of the precaution devised. He attached a long 
wire to the pack and went to the opposite side of the hill before pulling over 
the pack. No bomb was attached to the pack but the caution used was com- 
mendable and had all used equal care fewer deaths would have resulted from 
this treacherous and cowardly method of warfare. 

At Thenorgues a little village not far from Sedan, we established a relay 
station, the purpose of which was to furnish medical treatment and incidently 
a cup of hot coffee and a sandwich to the sick and wounded, who were being 
transported to the rear. A number of French refugees, who were being sent 

74 



IN ARGONNE, TONNE RRE AND MONTIGNY LE RESLE 
(1) Ambulance Co. 161 lined up in the Argonne at Camp Mallery. (2) Our non-commissioned 
personnel— Above (from left to right) Kennelly, Hansen, Powers, Hatch, Jirschele, Schell, Houser, 
McPhee, Caldwell, Breitenfeldt, Toetcher. Below— Houck, (Trixy) Miller, Henderson, Tipper, Faulds, 
Milman. (3) "Scotty" Girvan, Kennelly and Jackman. (4) Cooks, KP.s and Mess Sgt. Houser in 
Argonne. (5) Sgt. McPhee and Transportation Department. (6) P. Chariot's Store- American band 
— at Montigny. (7) Our prize Horseshow ambulance— Tonnerre. Capt. Kinne, Farnen, Denny, Ward 
and Holliday. (8) Litter bearer demonstration at horseshow. (9) Capt. Graham and litter bearer sec- 
tion at horseshow. (10) Fraga, Best, Wunch, Owens, Oppenheimer. (11) Major Gen. Wright (fac- 
ing in the trio) at Tonnerre. (12) Horseshow at Tonnerre. (13) Our basketball team.( See writeup.) 



back from the recaptured towns and villages also passed through our station. 
Our ambulances were on duty with the evacuation ambulance units operating 
in this sector. 

The armistice was signed on November 11th, while we were at this place. 
On November 16th we left Thenorgues and for the first time since arriving 
in the Zone of Advance in May, we turned our faces from the front and 
started on our first lap for home. Home became the center of all thought, 
now that the object of our mission to France had been accomplished. Our first 
stop in our homeward journey was at the historic old city of Varennes. 

After two days at this place we proceeded to a French camp at Rarecourt 
arriving there November 18th. On the day of our arrival in this camp First 
Sergeant Faris received his well merited promotion to Second Lieutenant and 
was assigned as Sanitary Officer, to our Company. The first sergeancy was 
assumed by John Kennelly to the satisfaction of all. 

Thanksgiving day spent in this camp stands out as a bright spot in the 
rather gloomy period spent here. In spite of the untiring efforts of the mess 
sergeant no fresh meat was available and so we were given "corned willy/'well 
camouflaged. A dining hall was arranged in one of the barracks where both 
men and officers gathered and a splendid dinner was enjoyed. Speeches were 
in order after dinner and Captain Kinne was made toastmaster. All the offi- 
cers were heard from, as well as many of the boys. Aaron Eichengreen sang 
"If You Don't Like Your Beans and Hardtack," which, under the circum- 
stances, was hugely appreciated. At last the dinner party broke up and each 
one present voted the occasion a success, but, at the same time, hoped that it 
would be the first and last Thanksgiving dinner in the stillness of the big trees 
of the Argonne forest. 

It rained nearly every day and the mud and slush made the long days of 
waiting even more miserable. Although all were comfortably quartered in bar- 
racks each one longed to go home and even his dreams of home would be inter- 
rupted by the rudeness of the rats who insisted that having any kind of food 
in sleeping quarters was against Army Regulations and they insisted on doing 
their bit in helping to enforce this law by frequent and thorough inspections. It 
was quite a common occurrence to have a rat run over your bed and scurry 
across your head, and some of the boys were even fortunate enough to have 
some of these for bedfellows; others objected to such familiarity and a cam- 
paign was waged upon the rat. Trixy, aided by a lantern, was probably the 
most effective weapon of exterminatian, although poison also helped deplete 
their ranks. This warfare continued till December 22. 

It was a dark, cloudy, early Sunday morning when we left the Argonne 
Forest on trucks and in ambulances. We had five trucks and twelve ambulances 
then and we moved along towards Tonnerre and camped that Sunday night in 
Choarce in some empty military barracks. It was raining and the narrow 
roads were slippery and with the Quad trucks, it was almost impossible to 
keep on the road. A fire was built at Choarce and a hot breakfast obtained be- 
fore we started out again. The company generally stopped at meal time when 
traveling on the road and by the use of a few pieces of wood we made a fire 
and with the water in the supply tanks of the ambulances made coffee that 
tasted better to us than any percolated coffee ever did. We arrived at 2 

76 



o'clock December 23, by way of St. Florentin, in the little village of Montigny 
Le Resle, Yonne, where we were to live till April 1. Here we received a royal 
warm welcome and were greeted as heroes and friends by the French popula- 
tion. This little town boasted a population of seven hundred before the war, 
but we were told that for every three men who were able bodied enough to be in 
the service one had been killed and one had been disabled. This left a great 
many widows and children without any means of support. All the people of 
this little village were glad to welcome the U. S. soldiers, and they did every- 
thing possible to make the long winter hours more cheerful for us. 

Geese and turkeys were bought for miles around until enough were ob- 
tained to feed all the First Corps Sanitary Train men for Christmas and a real 
Christmas dinner was served with abundance of good things to eat for every 
one. 

With some difficultv a large consignment of wood was purchased by our 
Town Mayor, Lieutenant W. E. Whitlock, and our Supply Officer, Captain 
Wm. Longstreth. This wood was hauled in by trucks and piled up near the 
mess barracks for future use. This supply of wood and the liberal use of the 
French homes assured us a comfortable winter. The wood was very expensive 
and prices varied from 40 to 160 francs per cord, but expense was not consid- 
ered when the health of the American SDldier was in the balance. 

For amusements in this little town the French madamoiselles put on a 
dance every week in our recreation hall and their own hall. We all became 
quite proficient in dancing in a space about eight feet square, as all the town 
people of all ages insisted on seeing the fun without regard to the space they 
occupied. Besides the dances we had some kind of entertainment by Y. M. C. A. 
or by soldier talent once or twice a week, and boxing, wrestling, marching and 
basketball furnished the chief amusements. Side issues were awaiting orders, 
sending souvenirs home, trying to get shoes mated, packing up, helping pre- 
serve French wines, attending school, where some of our men learned to read 
and write, and going on leave to Paris and Nice. 

The ambulances made daily trips of about sixty miles to Tonnerre and 
back carrying patients to the Camp Hospital from all points along the line. 
Horse shows exhibitions and transportation of professional entertainers were 
also part of our duties. Daily we expected orders to go home, but none came 
till March 23, 1919, when we received orders to expedite preparations for travel 
to the United States. This welcome news spread rapidly. It was necessary to 
fix up all the roads and alleys we used before we left. Willing hands worked 
rapidlv and the school yard, Camille Darlot's court yard and a few other roads 
were filled in with crushed rock and gravel which we hauled for four or five 
miles on trucks. The "Cooties" were searched for daily and inspections of 
equipment came nearly every time the bugle blew. Nothing must delay us at 
embarkation port and in our efforts along those lines we were successful, for 
we were ready when we got there. 

The ambulances were taken to Romarantine by Sergeant McPhee and his 
transportation outfit on March 27 and they returned via Paris, some of them 
visiting it for the first time. 

On April 1 at 2 P. M., after bidding farewell to everyone in town, we left 
Montigny. The entire population were out on the Main street to see us go and 

77 



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some of the farewell partings were quite touching. The men of ambulance 
company 161 will never forget the kind treatment afforded us by the French 
people of that little town. 

We boarded four German coaches at 10 P. M. at Vergigny after an eight- 
hour waiting period and started out for Marseilles and home. We traveled 
very little the first night and was just a little south of Tonnerre when it be- 
came daylight enough to locate ourselves. We traveled down to Lyon and 
were sidetracked there most of that night and then the next day we went down 
to Avignon and stormed there. The company was marched ud town and dis- 
missed for a short time. At six o'clock we again started south and arrived at 
Marseilles at 11:55 P. M. on April 3, 1919. We marched to Embarkation 
Camp No. 6 nearly two miles out and were given barracks to sleep in with the 
familiar wire netting and straw mattress bunks. The camp was dry and 
clean but it was a walled city as far as privileges and passes were concerned. 
The company was allowed to go out once with a camp officer and then onlv to 
the top of a neighboring craggy height that overlooked the harbor. There was 
a stone wall around the camp when we came and they built an eight-foot wall 
on top of that with three strands of barbed wire as a finishing touch to 
prevent soldiers from going out. This was made more certain by placing 
double guards outside the wall. Inside the camp they had another enclosure 
for prisoners which was superflous as anyone in the camp was a prisoner. How- 
ever the company survived those trivial things and even the almost regular 
nightly kitchen police duty and daily we hoped for our boat to come in. Boats 
came and went taking troops till finally the Austrian ship, Sofia, run by an 
Italian crew, steamed into the harbor. It was first rumored, then denied, 
then finally confirmed that Ambulance Company 161 was actually going to 
leave France on that boat. Joy was unbounded and hearts were beating rap- 
idly in expectancy, although we had been disappointed so often we were rather 
loathe to believe wholly and without doubt that we would actually get out on 
the Sofia. It was not yet Sunday when she arrived and lest the company 
should establish a new precedent we must wait till our regular moving day 
came, for to establish precedents in the army is often a fatal project ; so we 
waited till Easter morning, the 20th day of April, to begin our journey. Re- 
serve rations of "corn willie" and hardtack were issued for the last time in our 
existence lest we should stage the Robinson Crusoe act and starve to death on 
some island. Salmon, our good old favorite "gold fish," was also issued to each 
man lest he might forget what it tasted like before he got home. We arose 
earlv and packs were rolled and everyone was anxious to be on the way. At 
7:45 A. M. the company was assembled on the ball field, where some very ex- 
citing games had been plaved and when all were lined up on the field we found 
there were to be about 1100 men and 39 officers with their packs and baggage 
to go on one small boat and one could not help but wonder where they were going 
to put them all and the wondering increased till they were finally bunked and 
staged in layers not unlike sardines, and probably not much more extra space 
proportion to the size of the sardine and the soldier. But the American soldier 
is noted for his versatility and they all fitted in there as well as elsewhere be- 
cause they had much experience along this line in those compartment water- 
tank fourth class coaches and the small boxcars which seemed to be built short 
to keep railroads from being too long. 

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The west gate at Camp Covington was cleared at 8 :24 A. M. and we soon 
noticed after we were on our two-mile jump off that we had lost Trixy. She 
had run off when we were on the ball field and had become lost in the camp. 
Everyone was feeling badly about this, but Trix was destined to come to Amer- 
ica and see what a real country looked like and through the kindess of Major A. 
Helton she was returned to us at the boat. We arrived at the boat 11:15 A. M. 
and in single file passed by the Red Cross stand, received a towel, candy and 
cigarettes and climbed up the gangplank, and as each man give his name 
as he went on he was rapidly directed to his second or third hold where he was 
to remain in this bunk till all were loaded. We were compelled to wait till 
2 :30 P. M. for more men, as we were twenty-three men short to fill the boat en- 
tirely full and since, as it was unofficially announced, the fare paid for each sol- 
dier was $85 and for each officer $125 with board it was to the best interests 
of the Italian crew to fill the boat to absolute capacity. 

On the boat we found nearly all of the old 116th Sanitary Train, with the 
exception of the 164th Ambulance Company, which really never existed after 
the 161st went to the front and the 164th Field Hospital which remained down 
at our first La Courtine camp and came home ahead of us. Two bakery com- 
panies, a signal battalion, a few casual companies, the First Corps Sanitary 
Train and the rest of 116th Sanitary Train, who had been over in Coblenz, 
were the lucky ones to go on the Sofia. 

We pulled out of the harbor and out into the sea at 2 :30 P. M. April 20 and 
despite the fact there was little outward manifestations of joy and little cheer- 
ing each one had an inward joy that filled him with gratitude. We were even 
willing to stop inquiring of the military police guard, "Who won the War?" 
arid let them have their share of glory in the achievement. 

The boat was a one-funnel emigrant ship, twenty years old, newly painted 
and cleaned up. It formerly belonged to the Austrian-American line and was 
part of the spoils turned over by Austria to Italy at the signing of the Armis- 
tice. It was very appropriate that we should be brought home first on German 
train coaches and then on an Austrian boat because the Huns sunk the good 
British ship Tuscania that brought us safely over the ocean. This boat Sofia 
had five decks, a wireless outfit, plenty of deck space, a steam kitchen, life boats 
and life preservers in every bunk, which were no novelty to us and which we 
were thankful we did not have to wear all the time, as we did on the previous trip. 
The crew did the cooking aided by a few men who desired to help by peeling 
potatoes. 

The wind was blowing quite strong and as we got out away from the har- 
bor the boat began to roll and then they fed us gold fish for supper and many 
were seasick for a few hours. We sailed slowly along and never made very 
great speed, our best twenty-four hour journey being 283 nautical miles. On 
Wednesday morning at about 4:30 we pulled around the corner of Gibraltar 
and lay at anchor for a while and then steamed into the coal docks under our 
own steam at 11 A. M. Preparations were made to take on about one thou- 
sand tone of fine dust coal which had come from Cardiff, Wales, and which the 
Captain of the Sofia said he paid between $20 and $25 a ton for. It was all 
loaded by hand and in baskets. Only three strikes by the loaders occurred in 
two days and one of them was settled by the foreman threatening the workers 

81 




HOME AND IN CANTONMENT GROUPS. 

(1) Camp Dix. (2) Camp Dodge — Lt. Faris gives his last parting advice to the boys. Trixy went 

to Dodge with Powers. (3) Three N. D. "Germans" who helped clean the Kaiser — Schell, Toecher and 

.lirschele. (4) Camp Lewis (camera man missed two). (5) Camp Fort D. A. Russel. (6) Camp 

Upton (Camera man again left out some) . (7) Camp Bowie, Texas, "Lone Star." (8) Camp Grant. 

(9) Camp Mills in 1919. Contrast it with picture taken in 1917. (10) Camp Presidio, California. 



with a bowie knife. Everything was coal and dirt was everywhere. Fortunately 
we were all allowed to go on shore to see a ball game every day and to parade 
through the town, which is a beautiful quaint little British city filled with curio 
stores containing lace, fancy work and souvenirs. Many kinds of people of all 
races can be seen on the streets. The town is filled with Spanish people till the 
cannon signal at ten o'clock warns all Spanish to be out of the city before the 
gates to the walls of the city are closed. The great rock of Gibralter was seen 
at close range and impressed one as being a very good target for large cannons, 
but so solid and large that shells would have little effect on it as a whole. The 
large cement floor used to catch rain water for the city is one of the most novel 
things there. While there our soldiers defeated the navy men in two baseball 
games on the Gibralter diamond and lost one game to the marines. On the 
evening of April 25 we left Gibralter, leaving two men of another company be- 
hind. We waited for seventy minutes after scheduled time, but then they did 
not appear and we raised anchor and pulled out at 8:50 P. M. for America. 
We rounded the Coast of Spain and saw the African coast for a few miles and 
then headed due west on our long journey. 

The journey was very uneventful and for many days not even a ship was 
sighted. Reading material was scarce and there was no excitement. The sea 
was very calm most of the time, but on April 29 the wind blew from 40 to 45 miles 
per hour and made big swells and whitecaps. A few whales, a shark, pilot fish, 
Spanish men of war, a few swallows, and gulls, a couple of showers of rain, a 
community shower bath from a fire hose, one attempted murder of one of crew 
men, prolonged searches for cooties, a raffle, card games and music were the 
chief occupations for many days. We came west along the 32nd and 33rd par- 
allel north of the Azores and when about one hundred miles east of the Ber- 
mudas we changed to a Northwesterly course and landed in New York harbor 
on May 9 at about 12 :30 by New York time. We landed at Pier No. 7, U. S. 
Transport Service on the Brooklyn side. A boat met us in the harbor carrying 
the mayor of New York Welcome Committee and a band. Another band met us 
at the pier. We disembarked at 1 : 30 P. M. and there the Salvation Army gave 
us pie, cookies, candy and coffee, sent telegrams home for all of us and gave us 
post cards. The baggage was unloaded from the Sofia and we bade her adieu 
and took the ferry boat at Newburgh at 2 : 30 P. M. Here the First Corps San- 
itary Train ceased to exist and the Headquarters left us and we took a Long- 
Island Train to Long Island City, where trucks met us and took us to Camp 
Mills just as it was getting dark. The camp had changed so we hardly knew it. 
Barracks were at our disposal, steam heat, shower baths, electric lights and ce- 
ment roads. We were not confined to camp either and most of the boys were 
anxious to see the bright lights of New York city and went at their first oppor- 
tunity and as often afterward as their francs lasted. 

Mrs. Frank White of Valley City, N. D., wife of Colonel White, who com- 
manded the Smashing Second North Dakota Infantry, came out and visited the 
men and provided for a theatre party at the Hippodrome for all North Dakota 
men. This was possible through the generosity of the Masonic Lodge of North 
Dakota and was very much appreciated by about one hundred of the boys. 

After seeing New York the men were then classified for demobilization ac- 
cording to the states they were from and at Camp Mills came the parting of the 
ways ; those who had eaten together, slept together in dugouts, marched to- 

83 



gether, drove together, suffered the same privations and enjoyed the same 
blessings tor nearly two years were forced to say farewell to those who lived in 
a state different from their own but the formality of farewell will never cause 
a true friend, tried out in time of need and found to be firm and steadfast, to 
be forgotten, and sacred memories of the comradeship, fellowship and loyalty 
to the same cause will keep a comradeship cemented together forever in the 
hearts of the men of Ambulance Company 161. 

As each man was given his honorable discharge and the little red chevron 
sewed on his sleeve, he went out back into the great mass of humanity, there 
again to become his own master and his own counsel, he could not help but feel 
that, after all, Democracy was a principle that he would have been ashamed if 
he had not fought for, and liberty of ideas and soul are the only real essentials 
of happiness in human life. While pondering these thoughts he is quickly ab- 
sorbed into his old work and society has assimilated him without any effort, 
but he will never forget the burning patriotism of a true citizen, which will al- 
ways stay alive in his heart. 

Every man of Ambulance Company 161 is a loyal, true, upright citizen 
and a wonderful, though often silent power, in his community and the fact that 
he sacrificed so much for the Cause of Liberty will always be a source of joy to 
him and will cause him to guard mor sacredly than ever anything that would 
attempt to limit the freedom of a citizen of our glorious Republic. 



84 




1 — Stork, Inglas, Francisco, H. Coombs, Hurley, Kalkman, M. Coombs, Flint, Love, Sours, Righetti, E. Wolfe, Kalb, 
II — Girvan, Dombrowe, M. Egan, F. Miller, Ayres, Gibcke, Ferguson, Messick, A. Wolf, Flanagan, Mullen, M. House 
III — Moore, McLean, Cousins, Cummings, Welch, Reid, Jackman, Graeger, G. Hallman, Handtmann, Dalen, Murd 

IV — Kendall, Van Tussenbrook, Morlas, Waddell, Stephens, Maher, Erickson, Kingsbury, W. Hallman, Murray, 

V — Henderson, Toetcher, Breitenfeldt, Hansen, Houck, Power.;, Hatch, Kennelly, McPhee, Caldwell, T. Miller, Jirs 

VI — Faris, Kinne, Graham. 




Ardnt, Manning, Smith, E. Hauser, Baber, Hove, Tucker, James, J. Egan. 

itman, Michelotti, Farnen, McColeman, Sather, Lumsden, Crouse, McFarland, Hannibal, Lockie, P. Dickinson, 
layter, McNally, Laisen,, Wilson, Brinker, Brackney, Ward, Paul Dickinson, Lyon, Norman, Hunscovsky. 
s, Nejedly, Retz, Wassel, Mailey, Halliday, Maltby, Dietzman, Castle, Roberts, Ballinger, Denny. 
Schell, Tipper, Eide. 

Editor's Note — A few were absent on leave when picture was taken. 



ROSTER 



COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 

Captain John B. Kinne 

817 W. 8th St., Aberdeen, Wash. 

Captain Milton P. Graham 

441 Finch Bldg., Aberdeen, Wash. 

Captain William E. Whitlock 

Box 176, Fort White, Florida 

Second Lieutenant Adam Faris 

3103 N. E. 7th St., DesMoines, Iowa 

SERGEANTS, FIRST CLASS 

John K. Kennelly Mandan, No. Dak. 

Donald J. McPhee Bismarck, No. Dak. 

SERGEANTS 

William A. Breitenfeldt Wibaux, Montana 

Edward L. Caldwell Beach, North Dakota 

Ralph G. Hansen Mandan, North Dakota 

Ernest G. Hatch Beach North Dakota 

Jesse E. Houck Beach, North Dakota 

Joseph W. Jirschele Beach, North Dakota 

John J. Milman New England, North Dakota 

Thomas R. Miller Bucklin, Kansas 

James E. Power Beach, North Dakota 

John F. C. Schell Beach, North Dakota 

Benjamin L. H. Toettcher 

123J E. 4th St., Duluth, Minnesota 

CORPORALS 

Palmer L. Eide Beach, North Dakota 

John Faulds__Santa Clara County, Suunyvale, Cal. 
George C. Ferrell 

445 So. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Lester W. Henderson Beach, North Dakota 

William C. Morrison 

808 Whittier St., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Raymond R. Tipper 

501 6th Ave. N. W., Mandan, No. Dak. 

COOKS 

Donald Girvan Kintyre, North Dakota 

William C. Jackman 

3123 Roxbury St., Seattle, Washington 

Charles Nejedly Bismarck, North Dakota 

MECHANIC 
Fred L. Arndt Sweet Springs, Missouri 

WAGONERS 

Daniel E. Ayers_— 232 Ainslie St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Albert S. Ballinger_5916 Keith Ave., Oakland, Cal. 

Fred O. Crouse Steele, North Dakota 

Paul E. Dickinson Beach, North Dakota 

Raymond Francisco Belle Fourche, South Dakota 

Ernest T. Halliday 

194 Hancock St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Edgar T. Houser Napoleon, North Dakota 

William E. Hurley Wheaton, Minnesota 

Ivan C. Lockie Pomeroy, Iowa 

John H. Love Ventura, California 

Daniel E. Lumsden Kermit, North Dakota 



Oscar M. Overell 

331 S. Mariposa, Los Angeles, Cal. 

Claribone C. Owens Brunswick, Tennessee 

Walter A. Smith___704 7th St., Bismarck No. Dak 
James B. Ward__ R. F. D., Gait, California 

PRIVATES, FIRST CLASS 

Marvin E. Baber_ -Albemarle County, Warren, Va. 
Arthur T. Best 

517 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, Conn. 

Homer F. Brackney Fort Collins, Colorado 

Clayton C. Castle Beach, North Dakota 

Jay W. Crawford El Paso, Texas 

Scott Denny 5016 Victor St., Dallas, Texas 

John L. Egan Golva, North Dakota 

Melvin J. Erickson 

601 6th Ave. N. W., Mandan North Dakota 

James J. Farnen Kilkenny, Minn. 

Henry L. Ferguson Sanitarium, St. Helena, Cal. 

Charles Gibcke c/o Fire Dept., Hoquiam, Wash. 

William Hallman Skaar, North Dakota 

George Hallman Skaar, North Dakota 

Henry R. Handtmann Mandan, North Dakota 

James A. Inglis 104 E. 3rd St., Seattle, Wash. 

Elmer James Circle, Montana 

Frank W. Kalb Chattanooga, Tennessee 

John H. Kalkman Arvid, North Dakota 

Harry A. Kendall Pine Grove, Pennsylvania 

Nels Larson Sentinel Butte, North Dakota 

George F. Oppenheimer 

R. F. D. 12, Westport, Connecticut 

Paul T. Reid Cammer, Kentucky 

Arthur M. Sather Bismarck, North Dakota 

Fred B. Stephens ___ 

1216 E. Grove St., Bloomington, 111. 

PRIVATES 

Earl H. Brinker Jackson County, Melrose, Wis 

Howard J. Coombs McClusky, North Dakota 

Millard A. Coombs McClusky, North Dakota 

Albert D. Cornell 

1211 King St., San Bernardino, California 

Frank L. Cousins Kemmer, Wyo. 

Ray Cummings Steele, North Dakota 

Roscoe E. Dalen Hinckly, Minnesota 

Charles Deitzman Dawson, North Dakota 

Phillip A. Dickinson Beach, North Dakota 

Harry H. Denzie 4109 Wilcox St., Chicago, 111. 

Oscar W. Dombrowe Abbottsford, Wis. 

Matthew J. Egan Golva, North Dakota 

Aaron H. Eichengreen 

664 Jackson, Ave., Bronx Co., New York 

John W. Flanagan___R. F. D. 2, San Gabriel, Cal. 

William C. Flint Ventura, California 

Manuel C. Fraga Siskiyou Co., Yerka, Cal. 

Clarence M. Greager 

6952 Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Eli M. Hart Springtown, Texas 

Thomas Hannibal 

2903 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Marion C. Houser Napoleon, North Dakota 

Elmer W. Hove! Bricelyn, Minnesota 

Anton Huncovsky Fort Rice, North Dakota 



85 



WAGONERS 

Rqbert C. Maltby Box 26, Dawson, No. Dak. 

Edmond D. Manning, 2439 Emerson Ave. S., 

Minneapolis, Minn. 

Carl A. McDermott Dunseith, North Dakota 

Fred A. McFarland Lacona, Iowa 

PRIVATES 

Albeit Maher 397 3d St., Troy, New York 

Edward L. Mailey Golva, North Dakota 

Gyles Markham Dawson, North Dakota 

Jacob L. Mathias Enterprise, Iowa 

Orville W. Messick Waukegan, 111. 

Louis Michelotti 776 Haight, San Francisco, Cal. 

Colonel I. Miller . Shawnee, Oklahoma 

Fred A. Miller Sand Rapids, Minnesota 

John More__ __1121 Ilalsey St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Benny Morlas 670 Stone Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Russell B. Mullin 

3123 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, Cal. 

Joseph F. Murray__210 Harrison St., Passiac, N. J. 

Elenor W. Murdock Dawson, North Dakota 

Peder L. Nelson Dalton, Minnesota 

Albert Nielsen Dennison, Iowa 

Anthony P. Norman 

__1214 N. 29th St., Philadelphia, Penn. 

Gordon W. Playter Hasbrouck Heights, N. J. 

Hugh Reilly . _2479 N. 23rd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Russell B. Retz Converse, Indiana 



Harry A. Kingsbury Bismarck, North Dakota 

Raphael Lyon Shields, North Dakota 

Howard J. McColeman Flaxville, Montana 

Thomas McClean Tappen, North Dakota 

John McNally_^331 N. Strieker St., Baltimore, Md. 

Alfred E. Righetti 

Santa Barabara Co., Orcutt, California 

Maurice R. Roberts Weiser, Idaho 

Robert B. Sours __1308 Marion St., St. Paul, Minn. 
Anthony Stabile 

104 N. Portland Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Reinhard H. Stork 

--2215 Newton St., Springfield Gardens, N. Y. 

Elmer L. Swatman New Plymouth, Idaho 

Floyd E. Tucker Beach, North Dakota 

John VanTussenbrock 

1018 Lawn Ave., Ozone Park, New York 

Elwyn K. Waddell 

__1215 Merchants Bk. Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. 
John Wassel__1809 Popular Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Samuel M. Welch___512 Sassafras, Millville, N. J. 
Lawrence D. Wilson--2715 19th Ave., Seattle, Wn. 

Arvel E. Wolf 2206 Brownlee St., Marion, Ind. 

Edward A. Wolfe _912 Scott Ave., Jeanette, Penn. 
Howard Wunsch 1811 Mack Ave., Detroit, Mich. 



86 



FIELD HOSPITAL No. 161 



We regret that a complete history of Field Hospital Number 161 could 
not be obtained to make up a part of this book, but since the Field Hospital and 
Field Ambulance were running mates during active service in France and 
were working together all the time from the time of leaving Thesee till we 
returned to the United States, with the exception of the time from August 5 
to November 2, 1918, we feel that our interests and experiences were mutual 
and what applies to one company will in a great measure apply to the other. 
Many close friendships and pleasant associations were formed between the 
members of the two companies and so a roster with addresses of the men and 
officers of Field Hospital Number 161 is here appended. 



ROSTER 



OFFICERS 



Major Wm. F. Smith-__1303 Park St., Grinnell, la. 

Major Alfred Helton Yakima, Wash. 

Capt. Ronald O. Logsdon, 908 N. Main St., Wichita, 
Kansas. 

Capt. Michael A. Rogers Greenwich, N. Y. 

Capt. D. G. Brunjes__Brunjes Park, Syracuse, Ind. 

Capt. Ambler B. Patton Athens, Ga. 

Lieut. Wm. E. Buckley Spring Valley, Wis. 

Lieut. John B. Black__1339 Market St., Jackson- 
ville, Fla. 

ENLISTED PERSONEL 

M. V. Allbright Alexandria, Neb. 

Emil F. Beer__23 Waverly Ave., Mamaronick, N. Y. 

Julius Benedict, 311 Chamber St., West Hoboken, 
New Jersey. 

Sylvester Bisco, 311 Chamber St., West Hoboken, 
New Jersey. 

Gordon W. Brewester Prairie Grove, Ark. 

Walter Bunt__1052 Petaluma Ave., San Rafeal, Cal. 

Gilbert W. Cass, 305 2nd Ave. N. W., Mandan, N. D. 

Gerald S. Chapman Winslow, Ariz. 

John E. Christensen Litchfield, N. I). 

Emil Christiansen, c/o H. H. Cox, R. F. D. No. 5, 
Brazil, Ind. 

Willard C. Detweiler, c/o Elks Club, Tacoma, Wn. 

Thomas A. Gleason, 5945 Angora Ave., West Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Lloyd A. Hammarlund, 489 Park Place, Brook- 
lyn, N. Y. 

Robert M. Hardin Olustee, Oklahoma 

Reginald H. Harper Blackinton, Mass. 

Charles E. Horn Cowden, 111. 

Carroll R. Ingebritzen Greenwood, Wis. 

John E. Jackson Lookinglass, Ore. 

Harold Jordon 1st Ceayuga Ave., Warren, Pa. 

Riley H. Joy 1102 Hayes St., Boise, Idaho 

Kalman Klein Blackwell, Okla. 

John J. Lang Carrington, N. Dak. 



Everett Logsdon Twin Falls, Idaho 

Arthur E. Lundh Minot, N. Dak. 

J. Glenn Magee, 154 3rd Ave. E., Twin Falls, Idaho 

Thos. W. Martin, 107 Pearl St., Cleremont, N. H. 

Jesse L. Moyer . Emmett, Idaho 

Earl Munyon Filer, Idaho 

Boyd E. Nero Bottineau, N. Dak. 

Robert T. Newans Drayton, N. Dak. 

Samuel Pashkowsky, 214 E. 3rd St., New York 
City, N. Y. 

Albert Pastilli 78 Lawn St., Providence, R. I. 

Maurice V. Pate, 510 E. Fayette St., Syracuse, 
New York. 

Tony Peppe 317 Walnut St., Camden, N. J. 

Norris J. Pidge 214 English St., Petaluma, Cal. 

Peter Prunty, 149 E. 44th St., New York City, N. Y. 

Charles Reays R. F. D. No. 1, Colton, Cal. 

Dewey E. Records Turlock, Cal. 

William G. Reichert Filer, Idaho 

Thos. L. Ricks __ 761 2nd Ave., San Francisco, Cal. 

Frank G. Rieger Donaldsville, La. 

Ernest E. Scannell Lynndyl, Utah 

John A. Scheib, 1819 N. Park Ave., Chicago, 111. 

Geo. F. Schroeder, 876 McPherson St., Glendale, 
L. I., N. Y. 

Arthur R. Timmennan, 105 Main St., 

Hy. J. Vollmer, 1219 11th Ave., Helena, Montana 

William G. Adams, 73 Merchant St., Bridgeport, 
Conn. 

King D. Young Filer, Idaho 

Russell C. Paxton, 147 High St., Gettysburg, Pa. 

Fred B. Dunbar Klamath Falls, Ore. 

Fred L. Parks Galatia, 111. 

Russell A. Buchanan Ashland, Ohio 

Virgil J. Jones Newkirk, Okla. 

Fred J. Allam Homer, Ontario, Canada 

Alfred M. Kronberger, 920 Union St., San Fran- 
cisco, Cal. 

Raymond R. Schlemmer Bremen, Indiana 



87 



John P. Mannion, (Deceased) formerly, 19 Walker 
St., Concord, N. H. 

Arthur D. Scott, (Deceased) recently of Milner, 
Idaho. 

Orion L. McNown — La Grande, Ore. 

Arthur W. McDade 1 - Geneva, Alabama 

Paul P. Kalt 698 Cramer St., Milwaukee, Wis. 

Ralph Johnson, 698 Kramer St., Milwaukee, Wis. 

Ed. J. Dusek '_ Placedo, Texas 

Chas. E. Burns 607 Wood St., Bristol, R. I. 

Russell W. Bertholf, 1105 N. Sycamore St., Cres- 
ton, Iowa. 

Samuel L. Hanson Bowden, N. Dak. 

Wm. H. Neilley 624 Fort St., Boise, Idaho 

Harold C. Wagner, c/o G. G. Wagner, Detroit, Mich. 

Wm. H. Dowden _ Libertyville, 111. 

John E. Waller La Grande, Ore. 

Reymer E. Ward Woodsville, N. H. 

Leo P. Ryan c/o Troy Hospital, Troy, N. Y. 

Percy J. Schnetz, 1083 Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwau- 
kee, Wis. 

Fred B. Read La Grande, Ore. 

Chas. G. Piper Quimby, Me. 



Robert H. Perkins, 55 Abbott Ave., Waterbury, 

Conn. 

Raymond A. Partlow Bartlett, Texas 

William Musil 2106 Lawn St., Racine, Wis. 

Harvey J. Oleson Hutchinson, Minn. 

Lide McMahon, c/o M. J. McMillen, Lamar, Colo. 

Percy J. Knapp Ely St., Allegan, Mich. 

Miles E. Baldwin, Jr., 29 Crescent St., Providence, 

Rhode Island. 
Frank M. Rogers, 1203 W. 36th St., Los Angeles, 

California. 

Frank G. DeKay Boise, Idaho 

Guy A. Watson, c/o John V. Watson, Loyalist, 

Alberta, Canada. 

Meyer Weinger Centerville Station, N. Y. 

Chas. A. White, c/o Wm. H. White, Herford, N. C. 
Richard Wiersema, 424 Harrison St., Gary, Ind. 

Willie S. Willis Rocky Mount, North Carolina 

John T. Wilson, 205 W. Acoquina St., Visalia, Cal. 

Ernest W. Winkle Filer, Idaho 

Leonard A. Winkle Filer, Idaho 

Attee Witherow Marion, North Carolina 

Thos. S. Woodie Buhl, Idaho 



[FINIS] 



88 



